The kingdom of Congo, like most other parts of Af rica, breeds a prodigious variety of living creatures, both wild and tame. Those of the former sort are par ticularly numerous. The most remarkahle of the ani mals in this class is the elephant, which is found chief ly in the province of Bambay, a province that abounds with woods, pasture, and plenty of water. They go commonly in troops of 100 or more ; and sonic of them are of such a monstrous size, that the prints of their hoofs are said to measure from four to seven spans in diameter. They delight much in bathing themselves during the heat of the day. Lopez remarks, that they are of very gentle temper, and are much at ease as to their safety, relying upon their natural strength. They often approach the houses without doing any injury, and seldom pay any attention to the men that come in their way. Yet sometimes one of them has been seen raising a negro with his trunk, holding him suspended for some time, and then calmly letting him down again to the ground. The natives of this country have not the art of taming elephants: the only way, therefore, in which they can obtain profit from them is, by send ing some of their bravest men to hunt them in the woods. The most common means through which this is done, is by digging deep pits in the ground, which are covered over with branches and leaves, in the same manner as is practised on like occasions in most parts of Asia. The business is generally attended with a good deal both of labour and of danger ; but the esteem in which some of the exuvix of the animal are held in the country is such, as to induce persons, from time to time, to undertake it. Besides elephants, this country abounds also in lions, which in like manner grow here to a vast size, tigers, wolves, and other beasts of prey. There is also a vast variety of monkeys, of all sizes and shapes. The zebra of this country is a beautiful animal, which the natives hunt on account of its flesh, which they es teem a dainty food, and for its hide, which they send to Europe as a valuable commodity. A variety of buffaloes and wild asses occur here, and the dante seems to be an animal peculiar to this kingdom. It resembles an ox in shape and colour, but is not so large; its horns are like those of a he-goat, but very smooth and shining, and of a blackish hue. Its skin is commonly bought by the Portuguese, and sent into Germany to be tanned, and made into a kind of targets, which arc known by the same name as the animal. Of the raw hides dried the natives make their shields, which are impenetrable to darts and arrows, and at the same time large enough to -cover the whole body. They also make a variety of toys from its horns. The dante is a creature of great swiftness; and, when wounded, it will follow the scent of the gun-powder with such fury, that the huntsman finds it necessary before he ventures to fire, to secure always a retreat in some tree, to which, in case of being unsuccessful in his aim, he may betake himself as speedily as possible. The wounded beast, finding its enemy out of its reach, stays for him at the foot of the tree, and will not stir from its place, while the hunter, taking advantage of this circumstance, dispatches it with repeated shots. Camelions abound in Congo ; and it has several sorts of wild rats, as the ninge, the niosse, and the marmoni, the furs of which surpass even those of the finest tigers, in the beauty, variety, and re gularity of their streaks and spots. Another singular small quadruped is said to be found in this country, call ed the enticngia, which abides constantly in the trees, and is reported to die immediately upon setting its feet on the ground. Its skin is beautifully spotted, and is so much in esteem as an article of dress, that, in the country, none but the sovereign, and a few other privi leged persons of the first rank, are permitted to wear it. It is at the same time looked upon as a proper present for the most considerable of the neighbouring princes, and as such is received by them with satisfaction.
The forests of Congo swarm with wild dogs, which like wolves prey upon the tame cattle, and are so fierce that they will attack armed men. The teeth of these animals are exceedingly keen and sharp. They never bark ; but when famished, or in pursuit of their prey, they set up a dreadful howling. The different kinds of birds are found here that occur in other warm cli mates. Those called the birds of music are held in such esteem, that persons of the highest rank have, from time immemorial, taken pleasure in keeping them in cages and aviaries, for the sake of their surprising melody. There is a species of parrot, of which descrip
tion of birds there is here a great variety, distinguished both by their size and colour. Others of the birds of the country the Congoese associate with their super stitions, a trait of character by which that people have been very greatly distinguished. What they esteem the most dreadful of the ominous kind of their birds, arc crows, ravens, bats, and owls. Above all others, the great owl is looked on with the most terrible apprehen sion, and is known in the language of the country by the same name which is used to denote the devil. Both land and sea-fowls, in general, are here very numerous. The ostriches of this country are very large and beautiful, and their feathers, mixed with those of peacocks, which are no less numerous and beautiful, are used as ensigns or standards. They are also made into umbrellas. Tur kies, geese, hens, and ducks, both wild and tame ; like wise pheasants, pigeons, doves, woodcocks, and other smaller birds, abound in the country. Birds of prey, such as eagles, vultures, falcons of various sorts, sparrow haws, and others of a similar kind, occur in great num bers. Herons, bitterns, a bird in size and shape like a crane, one called by the Portuguese the pelican, of a large size and whitish colour, another called the fisher, which darts from a surprising height in the air on the fish, which he perceives in the sea or rivers, with other bird4 of the like voracious kinds, commonly abound in the marshes, lakes, and other waters.
Among the tame animals of Congo are enumerated oxen, sheep, hogs, horses, mules, and asses. The at tention of the Portuguese has been in some degree di to particular classes of these animals, especially to the cows, sheep, and goats, chiefly on account of their milk. They have not, however, learned the art of making butter or cheese.
Of fish, the sea adjoining to this country, and its ri vers, afford great plenty and variety. It is likewise infested with various kinds of serpents, some of them of great magnitude, with rattle-snakes, vipers, and other venomous reptiles ; also scorpions and other venomous insects, both flying and creeping, of several kinds. Lo pez makes mention of a serpent of vast dimensions, and of a throat and belly so capacious, that it can swal low a stag entire. The negroes call it by a name, sig nifying in their language, the great water serpent.' It lives in rivers, but it seeks its prey on land. There it climbs up some tree, from which it watches the beasts. having found an opportunity of attacking an animal, it twists itself around it, grasps it closely with its tail, and kills it with its bites. It then draws it into some retired place, where it devours it at ease, even to the skin, the bones and the horns. Thus sa tisfied, it falls into so profound a sleep, that a child might then put it to death. It remains in this state for the space of five or six clays ; and it is commonly after it has been thus gorged, that it changes its skin. It extends itself on other occasions in the highways like a piece of wood, of which it has then all the appear ance, and, with a swift movement, darts upon passen gers, whether men or animals. The negrocs prefer the flesh of this serpent even to that of chicken. The vipers of this country are several of them extremely poisonous, insomuch that their bite will occasion death within the space of 24 hours; but it is said, that the natives are acquainted with remedies that are sovereign for a cure, if seasonably applied. Of all the descriptions of creatures, however, from which danger is to be ap prehended, none occur here more pernicious and fatal than the ants, of which there are enumerated not less than six several species, of different colours and sizes, all ol them formidable, on account of their prodigious numbers, and the mischief do, not only to the fruits of the earth, but to men and beasts, whom, upon occa sions, they will surround in vast multitudes, and devour to the very bone. They arc not less injurious to clothes, linens, and such other stuffs, to which even the hardest wood is not found to afford an adequate defence against them. Yet, amidst this number and variety of destruc tive insects, there is found here also one species of a more friendly and profitable kind, viz. the industrious bee, which furnishes the inhabitants with honey and wax in such plenty, that there is scarcely a hollow tree, a cleft of a rock, or a chop in the earth, in which their combs are not deposited in great quantities.