The Strange Adventures of Andrew Battell, of Leigh, in Angola and the Adjoining RegionsBattell, Andrew
History
The Strange Adventures of Andrew Battell, of Leigh, in Angola and the Adjoining Regions
Battell, Andrew
Angola -- Discovery and exploration; Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Discovery and exploration
The Portugals and Mulatos being desirous to get away from this place,
determined to draw lots who should stay; but many of them would not
agree to it. At last they consented together that it were fitter to
leave me, because I was an Englishman, than any of themselves. Here I
was fain to stay perforce. So they left me a musket, powder and shot,
promising this lord, Mofarigosat, that within two months they would come
again and bring a hundred men to help him in his wars, and to trade with
him. But all was to shift themselves away, for they feared that he would
have taken us all captives. Here I remained with this lord till the two
months were expired, and was hardly used, because the Portugals came not
according to promise.
The chief men of this town would have put me to death, and stripped me
naked, and were ready to cut off mine head. But the Lord of the town
commanded them to stay longer, thinking that the Portugals would come.
And after that I was let loose again, I went from one town to another,
shifting for myself within the liberties of the lord. And being in fear
of my life among them I ran away, purposing to go to the camp of the
Gagas.
[_He joins the Jagas._]
And having travelled all that night, the next day I came to a great town
which was called Cashil, which stood in a mighty overgrown thicket. Here
I was carried into the town, to the lord Cashil. And all the town, great
and small, came to wonder at me, for in this place there was never any
white man seen. Here were some of the great Gaga’s men, which I was glad
to see, and went with these Gagas to Calicansamba, where the camp was.
This town of the lord Cashil is very great and is so overgrown with
_Olicondie_ [_baobab_][73] trees, cedars,[74] and palms, that the
streets are darkened with them. In the middle of the town there is an
image, which is as big as a man, and standeth twelve feet high; and at
the foot of the image there is a circle of elephants’ teeth, pitched
into the ground. Upon these teeth stand great store of dead men’s
skulls, which are [were] killed in the wars, and offered to this image.
They used to pour palm oil at his feet, and kill goats, and pour their
blood at his feet. This image is called Quesango,[75] and the people
have great belief in him, and swear by him; and do believe when they are
sick that Quesango is offended with them. In many places of this town
were little images, and over them great store of elephants’ teeth
piled.[76]
The streets of this town were paled with palm-canes, very orderly.
Their houses were round like a hive, and, within, hanged with fine mats
very curiously wrought. On the south-east end of the town was a mokiso
[_mukishi_] which had more than three tons of elephants’ teeth piled
over him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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