612 MEMOIR OF THE LIFE 



Nun, after having endured, while at anchor, the most frightful 

 swell, and at the same time scarcity of water. The expedition, 

 in fact, commences to-day ; after long delay, we are at length 

 arrived at the place where our observations are to begin. The 

 vegetation, when viewed from the ship, appears extremely 

 luxuriant, and there is something like a forest. We shall 

 probably remain some days in this place. I only hope that 

 the rain will permit me to make good use of the time/' 



At length, on the 11th of September, the expedition reached 

 the confluence of the Niger and Tschadda, and on the 18th 

 of September, Vogel thus writes : 



" We arrived a week since at this place, which I conceived 

 I might consider as an occasional place of rest. We reck- 

 oned on a six days' course hither, with no delay at th« mouth 

 of the Nun ; instead of this, from our first arrival at the Nun 

 (on the 10th of August), to our coming here, a month 

 has elapsed. At Aboh and Iddah some days were spent, till 

 the desired contracts against the slave trade were concluded 

 with the kings. This stay was, however, little to my purpose, 

 for circumstances hardly allowed me at either place to go on 

 shore j and at the latter I was unwell, though not extremely 

 so. 



" At Iddah, the country which was before low and flat, 

 begins to be elevated and rises in mountains 2000 feet high, 

 which, with occasional interruptions, extend to this place, 

 where they are confined to the right bank of the river. 

 Here and there, spots occur, which remind one of the Rhine; 

 the bed of the river is, however, too broad (generally above 

 half a mile) to be picturesque, and is often broken and 

 enlarged by various islands. The mountains are bare, 

 without any signs of human industry; once only I saw a 

 village on the top of a hill, which appeared very pretty. 

 Mount Patteh, in whose neighbourhood we lie, is a quadran- 

 gular mountain on the right bank, rising precipitously on all 

 sides about 1200 feet high, with many patches of forest, and 

 thickly clothed everywhere with plants. At its foot grow 

 many slender Oil-PaJms y so that the whole picture, painted 



