of
as that of a famous queen, who reigned over all this region. In looking
at these rude attempts at commemoration, one feels the value of letters.
In the history of Angola we find that the famous queen Donna Anna de
Souza came from the vicinity, as embassadress from her brother, Gola
Bandy, King of the Jinga, to Loanda, in 1621, to sue for peace, and
astonished the governor by the readiness of her answers. The governor
proposed, as a condition of peace, the payment by the Jinga of an annual
tribute. "People talk of tribute after they have conquered, and not
before it; we come to talk of peace, not of subjection," was the ready
answer. The governor was as much nonplussed as our Cape governors often
are when they tell the Caffres "to put it all down in writing, and they
will then be able to answer them." She remained some time in Loanda,
gained all she sought, and, after being taught by the missionaries, was
baptized, and returned to her own country with honor. She succeeded
to the kingdom on the death of her brother, whom it was supposed she
poisoned, but in a subsequent war with the Portuguese she lost nearly
all her army in a great battle fought in 1627. She returned to the
Church after a long period of apostasy, and died in extreme old age; and
the Jinga still live as an independent people to the north of this their
ancient country. No African tribe has ever been destroyed.

In former times the Portuguese imagined that this place was particularly
unhealthy, and banishment to the black rocks of Pungo Andongo
was thought by their judges to be a much severer sentence than
transportation to any part of the coast; but this district is now well
known to be the most healthy part of Angola. The water is remarkably
pure, the soil is light, and the country open and undulating, with a
general slope down toward the River Coanza, a few miles distant. That
river is the southern boundary of the Portuguese, and beyond, to the S.
and S.W., we see the high mountains of the Libollo. On the S.E. we have
also a mountainous country, inhabited by the Kimbonda or Ambonda, who
are said by Colonel Pires to be a very brave and independent people,
but hospitable and fair in their dealings. They are rich in cattle, and
their country produces much beeswax, which is carefully collected,
and brought to the Portuguese, with whom they have always been on good
terms.

The Ako (Haco), a branch of this family, inhabit the left bank of the
Coanza abov