Chapter I: Preface

The following description of the country between the River Zaire or Congo, and Mossamedes or Little Fish Bay, comprising ten degrees of latitude, is the result of many years of travel in and exploration of that part of the coast.

My aim has been to present an accurate and truthful account of its more striking features and productions, and of the manners and customs of the various tribes which inhabit it.

I have avoided mentioning more names of places and persons than are necessary, as they would be of little or no interest to the general reader. I have also omitted detailed lists and descriptions of plants and animals that I have collected, as such would only interest naturalists, who are referred to the different scientific publications in which they have been described.

This being the first detailed account of a most interesting and rich part of Tropical Africa, I leave it with confidence to the indulgence of my readers, assuring them that at all events a want of truth is not included in its shortcomings.

CONTENTS.
PAGE

CHAPTER I.

HISTORY 1

CHAPTER II.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY--CHARACTER OF VEGETATION--RIVERS 23

CHAPTER III.

THE RIVER CONGO A BOUNDARY--SLAVE TRADE--SLAVERY--ORDEAL BY
POISON--INSENSIBILITY OF THE NEGRO--INGRATITUDE 53

CHAPTER IV.

THE RIVER CONGO--BANANA--PORTO DA LENHA--BOMA--MUSSURONGO
TRIBE--PIRATES--MUSHICONGO TRIBE--FISH--PALM CHOP--PALM WINE 81

CHAPTER V.

COUNTRY FROM THE RIVER CONGO TO AMBRIZ--VEGETATION--TRADING--
CIVILIZATION--COMMERCE--PRODUCTS--IVORY--MUSSERRA--SLEEP
DISEASE--SALT--MINERAL PITCH 100

CHAPTER VI.

AMBRIZ--TRADE--MALACHITE--ROAD TO BEMBE--TRAVELLING--MOSQUITOES--
QUIBALLA TO QUILUMBO--NATIVES--QUILUMBO TO BEMBE 152

CHAPTER VII.

BEMBE--MALACHITE DEPOSIT--ROOT PARASITE--ENGONGUI--MORTALITY
OF CATTLE--FAIRS--KING OF CONGO--RECEPTIONS--CUSTOMS--SAN
SALVADOR--FEVERS--RETURN TO AMBRIZ 189

CHAPTER VIII.

CHARACTER OF THE NEGRO--FETISH--CUSTOMS--ARMS
AND WAR--DRESS--ZOMBO TRIBE--BURIAL--INSANITY 238