[357] We confess that this is unintelligible to us. Perhaps we ought to read Coango (Kwangu), instead of Loango. There is, of course, the “kingdom” of Kwangu beyond the Kwangu river, within which lies the district of Kurimba, the birthplace of the first King of Kongo (see p. 102). Bangu is evidently the district on the river Mbengu. It may have been the home of the King’s ancestors; and the Kwangu here referred to may be a neighbouring district of that name (see Index). [358] It was during the reign of this King that five Portuguese merchants crossed the Kwangu and fell into the hands of the Makoko, who made slaves of them. But upon this, his kingdom was visited by plague and famine, and his armies were beaten; and these “miracles” only ceased when, acting on the advice of his diviners, he had sent back his prisoners to S. Salvador, richly compensated for their sufferings (Cavazzi, p. 281). [359] For documents referring to the reign of this king, see Paiva Manso, pp. 187-237. [360] Whether the Dutch ambassadors prostrated themselves when presented to the king, as shown on one of Dapper’s plates, may be doubted. [361] The auxiliary force of thirty Dutchmen was commanded by Captain Tihman (Dapper, p. 541). [362] They sent, indeed, a vessel to remonstrate, but the Duke defied them to land, and they retired humbly. [363] Dapper, p. 572. Perhaps the itinerary on one of Dapper’s maps from Mpinda, by way of Mbamba, S. Salvador, Mbata and Nsundi, is supplied by Herder. The names _conso_, _canda_, _quing_ and _ensor_ of the map are corruptions of the names of the four week-days (_konso_, _nkanda_, _nkenga_ and _nsona_), and designate places where markets are held on those days. [364] He died at S. Salvador in 1651, when about to start for Abyssinia, and was succeded by P. Giovanni Francisco of Valenza, as Prefect. For a full account of the missions of 1645 and 1648, see Pellicer de Tovar, _Mission Evangelica al Reyno de Congo_, Madrid, 1649; and P. Francisco Fragio, _Breve Relazione_, Rome, 1648. [365] Giovanni Antonio de Cavazzi, of Montecuccolo, was a member of this mission. [366] This district was invaded by Queen Nzinga, in 1649, and the missionaries, P. Bonaventura of Correglia, and P. Francesco of Veas, retired. [367] See Cavazzi, pp. 512-15. [368] Those of our readers who have no time or inclination to wade through the bulky tomes of Cavazzi and other missionaries of those days, may be recommended to read an excellent summary by the Franciscan Friar Eucher (_Le Congo, Essai sur l’Histoire Religieuse de ce Pays_, Huy, 1860). [369] Paiva Manso, pp. 200-229. [370] Fr. Bonaventura had left Luandu in December, 1649; in June, 1650, he was in Rome; in July, 1651, at Lisbon. He then returned to Kongo in the company of P. Giacinto Brusciotto of Vetralla (1652), but ultimately joined the mission in Georgia. To Brusciotto we are indebted for a grammar and vocabulary of the Sonyo dialect, published at Rome in 1659. [371] Paiva Manso, p. 244.