The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

;THE SOUTH ANGOLAN TRIBES. 27are commonlj' designated as " sons," or " cousins." Nor arc these altogetherempty titles, for on the death of the legitimate heir—that is, the sister's son oruterine brother—the oldest slave succeeds to the estate, to the exclusion of thechildren themselves, or of the wives, who never inherit.When questioned by the European missionaries, both 13a-Xhanekas and Ba-Nkombis speak of a supreme god, and relate of the dejjarted that "God has takenthem unto himself." But to this deity they render no worship, whom in factthey confound with the sun.As pastors and husbandmen, their homage is chieflyreserved for animals—the ox that faithfidly accompanies them from pasturage topasturage, or even the snake that glides about their dwellings. Every Mu-Nhaneka has his favourite ox, and after death his remains, rediiced by a peculiarculinary process to a sort of paste, are placed for burial in the hide of this animal.The great national feast, answering to our harvest home, is symbolised by aspotless white or black bidl, who is led in the procession by the muene-Jiambo, or"chief pastor," and followed hy a cow called the " mistress of the house." Afterthe harvest the whole tribe, in companj' with the sacred oxen, goes in processionto the chief's residence, in order to consult the auguries and make preparationsfor the work of the new year. During the festival rejoicing must be imiversal,so that the very dead must cease to be mourned. Even the few crimes that mayhappen to be committed at this period of mutual good-will are overlooked, allinquirj- for the delinquents being forbidden.Amongst these tribes of the Cuuene basin all the j-ouths are circumcised, thisbeing the essential condition on which they are received as taba, that is to say,"equals."The Ba-Suto, or uncircumcised, are held in universal scorn and contemptand this, like all other painfid operations, has to be endured without flinching.M. Nogueira, who resided eleven years amongst the natives of the Cunene valley,speaks with admiration of their dignified demeanour and of their civic virtues.Apart from the crimes which, as in all other countries, are inseparable fromdynastic conflicts, no attacks are ever made against life or property, although allcitizens go armed, and enjoy complete exemption from police control. Suchdepravity, contentions, outrages, and misery as prevail have been introducedentirely by the Portuguese. As in most other lands where Eui'opeans haveentered into direct relations with the natives, their influence is always baneful atfirst. Instead of improving, they begin by corrupting or even decimating theaborigines, and end at times by exterminating them. Before the conflictingelementscan be reconciled, and all participate in the general progress, a periodof strife intervenes, during which the weak too often succumb to the strong.The Pretos and Eukope.ans.The civilised blacks of Angola are \miformly designated by the name ofPretos, while to those still keeping aloof from Portuguese influence is applied thesynonymous expression Xer/ros, often uttered in a contemptuous way. The Pretosare concentrated chiefly ia the seaports and sui-rouuding districts, where they are