illed her mission
excited the admiration of the whole court. When an alliance was offered,
upon the condition of annual tribute to the king of Portugal, she
proudly answered: "Such proposals are for a people subdued by force of
arms; they are unworthy of a powerful monarch, who voluntarily seeks
the friendship of the Portuguese, and who scorns to be their vassal."

She finally concluded a treaty, upon the single condition of restoring
all the Portuguese prisoners. When the audience was ended, the Viceroy,
as he conducted her from the room, remarked that the attendant upon
whose back she had been seated, still remained in the same posture.
Zhinga replied: "It is not fit that the ambassadress of a great king
should be twice served with the same seat. I have no further use for
the woman."

Charmed with the politeness of the Europeans, and the evolutions of
their troops, the African princess long delayed her departure. Having
received instruction in the christian religion, she professed a deep
conviction of its truth. Whether this was sincere, or merely assumed
from political motives, is uncertain. During her visit, she received
baptism, being then forty years old. She returned to Angola loaded with
presents and honors. Her brother, notwithstanding a solemn promise to
preserve the treaty she had formed, soon made war upon the Portuguese.
He was defeated, and soon after died of poison; some said his death was
contrived by Zhinga. She ascended the throne, and having artfully
obtained possession of her nephew's person, she strangled him with her
own hands. Revenge, as well as ambition, impelled her to this crime; for
her brother had, many years before, murdered _her_ son, lest he should
claim the crown.

The Portuguese increased so fast in numbers, wealth, and power, that
the people of Angola became jealous of them, and earnestly desired war.
Zhinga, having formed an alliance with the Dutch, and with several
neighboring chiefs, began the contest with great vigor. She obtained
several victories, at first, but was finally driven from her kingdom
with great loss. Her conquerors offered to re-establish her on the
throne, if she would consent to pay tribute. She haughtily replied, "If
my cowardly _subjects_ are willing to bear shameful fetters, _I_ cannot
endure even the thought of dependence upon any foreign power."

In order to subdue her stubborn spirit, the Portuguese placed a king of
their own choosing upon the throne of A