44 O'CONNOR. MACLEAR. [Feb. 25, 1856. 



considerable tonnage, not steamers. Reefs of rocks and heavy "breakers extend 

 in every direction, and seem to render the entrance to the river almost inacces- 

 sible. Our pilot carried the ' Dover,' without the slightest hesitation or risk, 

 through the " Boca Grande," or Portuguese channel. The approach to the 

 Casamance, the banks, and surrounding country present a most dreary, 

 desolate appearance ; barren sand-hills, stunted dried-up jungle, and patches 

 of land ; dense groups of forest trees widely scattered ; a total absence of all 

 cultivation, inhabitants, or life of any description — the whole affording a 

 melancholy type of African scenery. Five miles from the mouth of the river 

 is the French settlement of " Carabane," situated on a small island of land 

 surrounded with jungle. The town is composed of native huts, save the 

 Resident's house, which is built in the form of a fort — the settlement being 

 only a general depdt for exporting wax, ground nuts, rice, and country 

 produce. 



I had two interviews with the Resident, Monsieur Bocande, a native of 

 France, a gentleman of considerable acquirements, experience, and enterprise. 

 Leaving Carabane, I reached the Portuguese settlement of " Zinguichor," 40 

 miles farther up the river — a collection of large mud buildings, stores and huts, 

 constructed to the very edge of the water. Extensive rice plantations are 

 adjacent to the town, and at no distance the impenetrable forest hems it in. A 

 black man is Resident there. Rice, ground nuts, poultry, are exported from 

 Zinguichor, but in very inconsiderable quantity compared with the natural 

 resources of the settlement. From Zinguichor I continued my voyage up the 

 river, wishing to arrive at the French settlement of Sejo (Segdhiou), the most 

 distant European factory ; but, "after 40 miles, the channel became so con- 

 fined, shallow, and irregular, and the banks so frequent on which the steamer 

 repeatedly grounded, that I deemed it prudent to retrace my course, and not 

 strain the machinery of the vessel. 



5. Letter from Thomas Maclear, Esq., Her Majesty^ s Astronomer at 

 the Cape of Good Hope. 



Mr. Maclear transmits the original observations made by Dr. Living- 

 ston in his recent journey, having carefully recomputed them. The 

 results of these observations, as roughly calculated by Dr. Livingston 

 himself, have already been received. They were sent with a desire 

 that they should be considered as sub judice until examined by Mr. 

 Maclear.* 



No pains have been spared in these reductions. Almost in every 

 case the observed altitudes were compared with altitudes calculated from 

 the times. 



Mr. Maclear remarks that when a traveller takes lunars, it is very 

 advisable that the altitudes should be omitted, and the labour of ob- 

 serving them handed over to repeated measures of distance between 

 the moon and stars, both east and west, A practised computer can 

 compute the altitudes in a few minutes. 



* -See map in Journal, vol. xxv., which is corrected according to this latest in- 

 formation. — Ed. 



