VOYAGE TO THE NIGER. G35 



branched stem, about 1^ foot high, along the sandy shore. 

 A few open spaces amongst the shrubby woods were covered, 

 as if cultivated, with Cyperacece, amongst which a species of 

 Eriocaulon is frequent. A few more watered spots showed 

 Grasses, with a beautiful Orchidea 2 or 3 feet high. Near the 

 village, I found Euphorbia drupifera, Schum. An excursion to 

 the river enabled me to examine the Mangrove woods, where 

 a Rhizophora (different from R. Mangle 1), but not yet in 

 ripe fruit, formed the bulk of the woods ; amongst it an 

 Avicennia, judging by the leaves, different from that at Sierra 

 Leone (nitida ?), was frequent, and the shrubby Conocarpus 

 racemosus (is it not identical with an American species?), which 

 so far as I know, has not yet been enumerated amongst African 

 plants, but inhabits similar situations at Sierra Leone. Inter- 

 mixed with these, Drepanocarpus hamulus rendered my pro- 

 gress very difficult. Pandanus Candelabrum, without leaves, 

 occurs here for the first time, in swamps. An Anona (a tree 

 10 to 12 feet high), in fruit, and apparently very similar to 

 chrysocarpa, Lepr., if not the same, was not uncommon in 

 these swamps. Leguminous trees seem rare, and do not 

 attain a large size ; there are no Mimosa or Ccesalpiniee. Of 

 cultivated plants, the Stoeet cassada is most valued and 

 grown ; also Rice, various sorts of Capsicum, Papaw and 

 Plantains, and Holcus here and there, with Ananas in large 

 quantities amongst the shrubs. 



Our anchorage was between a town belonging to Liberia, 

 and called Idine (according to the pronunciation), and the 

 River Ketin, nearer the latter. The jungle begins with the 

 flat shore, and the native villages, consisting of a few huts, 

 are situated amongst it. The Kroomen live near the shore ; 

 the natives are of another race. The cottages of the former 

 which I visited, were neat and clean, built of mats, square, 

 with pointed roofs, and generally a raised floor, 1 \ feet above 

 the ground, composed of plaited palm-ribs. The Kroomen 

 themselves appeared rather intelligent j and they pleased me 

 by their straightforward and modest behaviour, touching 



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