With an eye to future exploration, I was anxious to see something
of the style of travel in Angola, and to prospect the proposed
line of railway intended to checkmate the bar of the river
Cuanza. The Cassange (Kasanji) war on the eastern frontier had
just ended honourably to Portuguese arms, but it proved costly;
the rich traffic of the interior had fallen off, and the well-
known Feira was sending down its fairings to independent
Kinsembo. Moreover, in order to raise funds for the rail, the
local Government talked of granting the land to an English
company for growing the highly prized gossypium arboreum.

Sr. Joao Soares Caldeira, C.E., kindly asked me to join his
party, which started early on August 19. All rode the tipoia, a
mere maca or hammock sadly heating to the back, but handier than
the manchila: the bearers wore loose waistbelts, with a dozen
small sheep's bells on the crupper, intended to proclaim our
importance, and supposed to frighten away wild beasts. These
gentry often require the stimulus of "ndokwe" (go on), but seldom
the sedative of "malemba" (gently) or "quinga" (stop). The "boi-
cavallo," the riding bull (not ox) of the interior, which costs
about L4, is never used in these fashionable localities. I failed
to remark the line of trenches supposed to defend the land-side,
but I did remark the "maiangas," said to be indigo vats made by
the Jesuits. After a hot depression we ascended a rough zigzag,
and halting we enjoyed a charming view of St. Paul. The domed
Morro concealing the squalid lower town was crowned with once
lordly buildings--cathedral, palace, treasury, and fort; the
colours of the ground-swell were red and white, with here and
there a dot of green; and the blue sea rose in its loveliness
beyond the hill horizon. For a whole league we were in the region