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
After a considerable delay, Dias was sent out as “Conquistador” of the
territory recently visited by him. He left Lisbon on October 23rd, 1574,
with seven vessels and three hundred and fifty men, most of them
cobblers, tailors, and tradesmen.[400] Among his officers were Pedro da
Fonseca, his son-in-law, Luis Serrão, André Ferreira Pereira, and Garcia
Mendes Castellobranco, all of whom subsequently won distinction as
“Conquistadores.” Three Jesuit fathers (with P. Balthasar Barreira as
superior), and three Dominicans accompanied him. These latter, however,
not finding the country to their liking, soon sought more comfortable
quarters in Kongo. Dias was authorised to grant estates (including full
seignorial rights) to all such among his companions as were prepared to
build a small fort at their own expense.
In February, 1575, the fleet sighted the coast near the Kwanza, and
passing over the bar of Kurimba cast anchor in the fine bay of Luandu,
and on February 20th Dias laid the foundations of a church.[401] The
island, at that time, was inhabited by forty Portuguese who had come
from Kongo, and a considerable number of native Christians. Its cowry
fisheries yielded great profit to its owner, the King of Kongo, who was
represented by a governor.[402] Not finding the site originally chosen
for his capital to be suitable, Dias, in 1576, removed to what is now
known as the Morro de S. Miguel, and he named the new colony “Reino de
Sebaste na conquista de Ethiopia,” in honour of the King who fell
gloriously at Al Kasr el Kebir, and its capital S. Paulo de Luandu.
Meanwhile the customary presents were exchanged with the King, whose
name or title seems to have been Ngola a kiluanji. The King’s gifts
included slaves, cattle, copper and silver bracelets, and aromatic
Kakongo wood. The Cardinal King D. Henrique (1578-80) converted the
silver bracelets into a chalice, which he presented to the church of
Belem.
Friendly relations continued for three years. The King had been duly
helped against his rebellious sobas; Pedro da Fonseca lived at the
King’s residence as “ministro conservador” of the Portuguese, and a
brisk trade seems to have sprung up with the new town of S. Paulo de
Luandu, when it was insinuated to the King that the Portuguese
ultimately intended to take possession of his country, and to sell his
subjects abroad as slaves. The _Catalogo_ traces these insinuations to
the jealousy of a Portuguese trader “inspired by the Devil,” and
although neither Garcia Mendes nor Abreu de Brito alludes to this
infamy, their not doing so does not disprove the positive statement of
the _Catalogo_.[403] Moreover, whether the King’s mind was influenced by
envoys from Kongo, or by a traitorous Portuguese, it must be admitted
that the intentions of the Portuguese were not altogether
misrepresented.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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