Feb. 27, I860.] BEDINGFELD ON THE CONGO. 69 



ships, and it is, I fear, a fact that the Portuguese will throw great 

 difficulties in the way of trade ; at present they do not allow foreign 

 merchants to go above Quillimane, and the duties there are enormous. 

 We should therefore, I think, look for another river open to free- 

 trade, and such the Congo offers to ns. The immense body of 

 water flowing from it all the year round, the rich tract of country 

 through which it must pass, the probability that it would lead us near 

 some of the long-disputed snow-capped mountains, and the little 

 information we have of that part of Africa, make it I conceive 

 worthy the consideration of the Society, if an expedition could not 

 be sent out at small expense to ascertain, in the first place, if the 

 river is navigable for 600 miles above the rapids, as reported by the 

 slave-traders, and if so, whether an easy path could not be found from 

 Embomma to a spot above the rapids, mentioned by Captain Tuckey 

 as admirably adapted as a station for the further exploration of the 

 river. 



I firmly believe this could be done, and also that canoes of a 

 certain construction might, without much difficulty, be taken above 

 the rapids for the purpose. 



Commanders Hunt and Moresby ascended the river in their 

 boats as far as the first rapid in January, 1857. They had not 

 much difficulty, for although they estimated the distance to be 130 

 miles, they were only six days going and returning ; they describe 

 the weather as so delightfully cool that they could dispense with 

 awnings in the day-time. They had no sickness whatever. 



Should an expedition be sent out, it would of course require 

 mature consideration as to the best plan of proceeding. I should 

 propose a small schooner yacht that would carry out, in addition to 

 provisions and presents necessary, a small cargo for the purpose of 

 trade, as you would thereby encourage the natives, and at the same 

 time by bringing home a return cargo considerably lessen the ex- 

 pense of the expedition. Two canoes in sections (of the same 

 material as our steam-launch in the Zambesi was constructed) should 

 be sent in her ; each section light enough for four men to carry 

 overland at parts of the river it might be found dangerous to drag 

 them through. Crews for them might be hired ; the Katenda men 

 are excellent boatmen, very similar to our Kroomen ; the pay 

 should be made to depend upon their conduct during the trip. The 

 schooner should not ascend above Embomma, and I apprehend 

 there could be little difficulty in keeping up communication with 

 her, and thus to Fernando Po, and to England by the African 

 packets. 



An expedition should arrive in the river about the end of Sep- 



