REYS VAN ANDRIES BATTEL VOYAGE OF ANDREW BATTEL

Battel must join the Gagas in their army.

which was very neatly surrounded with stakes; they provided us with houses to stay in for the night, and in them palm wine, cows, goats, and fruit.

And transport them with his boat across the River.

In the morning before it was daylight, the General had his Gongo a war instrument that sounds like a bell struck, upon which he immediately cried out with a loud voice, in the hearing of the whole army, that he intended to go and attack those of Benguele, which he did with a vigor and seriousness that one would not have expected among these heathen people. Hereupon they were all under arms and marched toward the bank of the River, where he had ordered some vessels; having arrived there, the General had to beat the people back, as everyone wanted to be first. We brought 80 men across at a time, and warded off the enemies with our muskets, and thus brought them to the other side.

The Benguelers are attacked.

They suffer a great defeat.

Being here, the General gave orders to let all the drums, Taveles, Petes, Pongos, and all the military musical instruments sound, and to attack the enemy, which then made a bloody day for the Benguelers; for they immediately took to flight, by which very many were killed, and others, both men and women and children, were taken prisoner. The Prince Hombiangymbe, Regent of this land, remained dead, along with more than 100 of his principal lords, whose heads were brought before the feet of the Gagas. It was strange to see how they brought in the captive men, women, and children, and furthermore the dead bodies to eat, as these Gagas are the greatest cannibals and man-eaters in the whole world, and eat human flesh, although they have an abundance of livestock in this land.

The Gagas are man-eaters.

They settled in this land and made everything their booty.