Kingdom of Congo (1625)

Instructions:

  1. Read the text below and examine the map. As you read, highlight historical interpretations (as opposed to historical facts.
  2. With a partner, make the following t-chart and use evidence from the text to fill the chart with a minimum of 3 details per column.

Benefits of Congo / Obstacles in Congo
  1. Who is the audience? Write it underneath your t-chart.
  2. Beneath the audience, write down the central question(s) that you think this document answers.
  3. Underneath the central question, predict how the audience will likely use the information in this text and what you expect to happen in Congo between 1625 and 1825.

Lopes, Duarte, “A report of the Kingdome of Congo, a Region of Affrica: Gathered by PhilippoPigafetta, out of the Discourses of Master Edvvard Lopes a Portugall, translated out of Italian into English, by Master Abraham Hartvvell, and here abreuiated” in Purchas, Samuel, His Pilgrimes (1625)

The soyle is fruitfull, and the aire fresh, wholsome, and pure : there are great store of Springs of indifferent good water to drinke, and at certain times doe not harme any man : and of all sorts of Cattell great abundance. The top of the Mountaine is severed and distinguished from all the rest of the Hill which is about it, and therefore the Portugals doe call it, The Otheiro, that is to say, A view, or a Watch-tower, or a Singular heighth, from whence you may take a sight of all Champaine round about: onely towards the East , and towards the River , it is very steepe and rockie…
And although that Plaine doeth lie very high and aloft, yet is there great abundance of waters in it, so that there is no want thereof. But the Court and the PortugalsCitiedoe all drinke of a certain Fountaine that springeth continually, towards the North, and liethdowne the hill, as farre as a Gunne will shoot : and from hence they doe fetch all their water, and bring it to the Citie in vessels of Wood, of Earth, and Leather, upon the backs of their Slaves.
All this Plaine is very fruitfull, and well manured. It hath Meadows full of Grasse, and Trees that are alwaiesgreene. It bearethsundrie forts of Graine, but the principall and best of all is called Luco, which is very like to Mustard-seed, but that it is somewhat bigger. When it is grinded with Hand-querns (for so they use to do), it yeeldeth a very white Meale, whereof they make Bread, that is both white, and also of a very good favour, and wholsomewithall : neither doth it give place to our Wheat in any sort, saving that they doe not celebrate the Sacrament with it…
There are moreover divers and sundrie sorts of Trees, that beare very great store of Fruits insomuch as the greatest part of the people doe feed upon the fruits of the Countrie, as Citrons, Lymons, and especially Oranges, very full of liquor, which are neither sweet nor sowre, and are ordinarily eaten without annoyance or harme at all. And to shew the fruitfulnesse of this Countrie, the said Signor Odoardoreported , that he had seene from a kernel of the fruit of a Pome-Citrone, which was left within the rind thereof, there sprung up within the space of foure days a pretie tall sprig. Other Fruits there are , which they call Banana and wee verily thinke to be the Muses of AEgypt and Soria, saving that in those Countries they grow to be as bigge as Trees ; but here they cut them yeerely, to the end that they may beare the better. The fruit is very sweet in smell and of good nourishment. In these Plaines there grow likewise sundrie kinds of Palme-trees ; one that beareth Dates, and another that beareth the Indian Nuts, called Cocoes, because they have within them a certain shell that is like to an Ape : and thereupon they use in Spane to shew their children Coccola, when they would make them afraid. Another Palme-tree there growth also very like to the former, but of a more strange and singular propertie : for it yeeldethOyle, Wine, Vinegar, Fruit and Bread… This wine they drink cold, and it moveth to urine very much : so that in those Countries, there is not a man that is troubled with a Gravell or Stone in the bladder. It will make them drunke, that drinke too much of it : but indeed it is of a very good nutriment…
There are other Trees, that bear a certain fruit, called Cola, as big as a Pine-apple, which hath within it other fruits like Chest-nuts, wherein are foureseverall shells or skins, of a red and Carnation colour… They comfort and preserve the stomacke, but above all other qualities, they are singular good against the diseases of the Liver… This food is commonly and generally used among them all, and there is very great abundance of it : and therefore it is good cheape…
There are to bee found among them many masses and lumpes of stone , which are of such thickness and hugeness, that you may cut out a whole Church, even of one whole piece…
Other Stone there is, that is specked with grains or strakes, but among all the rest, that kind is most admirable, which hath in it fair Iacynthes, that are good Jewels… if you please to make Pillars, or Obeliskes, or other such like memorials, of the whole masse, you shall see them shine and sparkle, full of most faire and goodly Jewels.
There are also other kinds of rare stones, which make a shew of metal in them , as of Copper, and of sundry other colours, that are very fresh, and bright, and smooth, whereof you make Images, or any other worke of singular beautie. True it is, indeed, that they want Masons, and Cutters, and Playsterers, and Carpenters, and other such Artificers; for when the Churches, and the walls, and the other fabrickes in those Countries were built , the Workmen were brought thither out of Portugall.
There are also Tamarindes, and Cassia, and Ceders in such multitudes growing along the River of Congo, besides other Trees of unmeasurable length and thicknesse, that an infinite number of ships and houses may be builded of them. Their Gardens doe beare all manner of Herbes and Fruits, as Pompions, Melions, Cucumbers, Coleworts, and such like , besides other sorts that doe not agree with our Climates of Europe.
The King of Portugall, Don Giovanni the second, being desirous to discover the East Indies, send forth diverships by the Coast of Africa to search out this Navigation, who having found the Ilands of Cape Verde, and the Ile of Saint Thomas, and running all along that Coast, did light upon the River Zaire, whereof we have made mention before, and there they had good Trafficke, and tryed the people to bee courteous and kind. Afterwards hee sent forth (for the same purpose) certain other Vessels, to entertaine this Trafficke with Congo , who finding the Trade there to bee so free and profitable , and the people so friendly , left certain Portugals behind them , to learne the Language, and to Trafficke with them : among whom was a Masse-priest. These Portugalsconversing familiarly with the Lord of Sogno, who was Uncle to the King and a man well stricken in years, dwelling at that time in the Port of Praza (which is the mouth of Zaire) were very well entertained and esteemed by the Prince, and reverenced as though they has beene earthly Gods, and descended downe from Heaven into those Countries. But the Portugals told them that they were men as they themselves were, and professors of Christianitie. And when they perceived in how great estimation the people held them, the foresaid Priest and others began to reason with the Prince touching the Christian Religion, and to shew unto them the errors of the Pagan Superstition, and by little and little to teach them the Faith which we professe, insomuch as that which thePortugalsspake unto them, greatly pleased the Prince, and so he became converted.
With this confidence and good spirit, the Prince of Sogno went to the Court , to enforme the King of the true Doctrine of the Christian Portugals, and to encourage him that he would imbrace the Christian Religion which was so manifest, and also so wholsome for his soules health. Hereupon the King commanded to call the Priest to Court, to the end he might himselfe treat with him personally , and understand the truth of that which the Lord ofSogno had declared unto him. Whereof when hee was fully informed, he converted and promised that he would become a Christan…
And now the Portugall ships departed from Congo, and returned into Portugall :and by them did the King of Congo write to the King of Portugall, Don Giovanni the second, with earnest request, that he would send him some Priests, with all other Orders and Ceremonies to make him a Christian…
At last the ships of Portugall, arrived with the expected provisions (which was in the yeare of our Salvation 1491.) and landed in the Port which is in the mouth of the River Zaire.