* Unfortunately, this woodcut can not be represented in this ASCII text.  The caption reads, ’Ancient Spinning and Weaving, perpetuated in Africa at the present day.  From Wilkinson’s “Ancient Egyptians”, p. 85, 86.’  The web, or cloth on the loom, mentioned, has the vertical threads, or the warp, hanging, perhaps five feet, from a horizontal beam.  The woof is passed through from side to side.—­A.  L., 1997.

Numbers of other articles are brought for sale to these sleeping-places.  The native smiths there carry on their trade.  I bought ten very good table-knives, made of country iron, for twopence each.

Labor is extremely cheap, for I was assured that even carpenters, masons, smiths, etc., might be hired for fourpence a day, and agriculturists would gladly work for half that sum.*

* In order that the reader may understand the social position of the people of this country, I here give the census of the district of Golungo Alto for the year 1854, though the numbers are evidently not all furnished: 

238 householders or yeomen. 4224 patrons, or head men of several hamlets. 23 native chiefs or sovas. 292 macotas or councilors. 5838 carriers. 126 carpenters. 72 masons. 300 shoemakers. 181 potters. 25 tailors. 12 barbers. 206 iron-founders. 486 bellows-blowers. 586 coke-makers. 173 iron-miners. 184 soldiers of militia. 3603 privileged gentlemen, i.e., who may wear boots. 18 vagabonds. 717 old men. 54 blind men and women. 81 lame men and women. 770 slave men. 807 slave women. 9578 free women. 393 possessors of land. 300 female gardeners. 139 hunters of wild animals. 980 smiths. 314 mat-makers. 4065 males under 7 years of age. 6012 females under 7 years of age.

These people possess 300 idol-houses, 600 sheep, 5000 goats, 500 oxen, 398 gardens, 25,120 hearths.  The authorities find great difficulty in getting the people to furnish a correct account of their numbers.  This census is quoted merely for the purpose of giving a general idea of the employments of the inhabitants.

The following is taken from the census of Icollo i Bengo, and is added for a similar reason: 

3232 living without the marriage tie. (All those who have not been married by a priest are so distinguished.) 4 orphans—­2 black and 2 white. 9 native chiefs. 2 carpenters. 21 potters. 11 tailors. 2 shoemakers. 3 barbers. 5 mat-makers. 12 sack-makers. 21 basket-makers.

The cattle in the district are:  10 asses, 401 oxen, 492 cows, 3933 sheep, 1699 goats, 909 swine; and as an annual tax is levied of sixpence per head on all stock, it is probable that the returns are less than the reality.

Being anxious to obtain some more knowledge of this interesting country and its ancient missionary establishments than the line of route by which we had come afforded, I resolved to visit the town of Massangano, which