380 ADDITIONAL NOTICES. [June 27, 1859- 



The second day after leaving Bathurst, the 16th November, I ran up the 

 " Jeba river " to *' Bissao," to call on the Governor, M. Honorio Barretto, and 

 thank him for the support -and protection he recently afforded to a British 

 trader who died at " Bissao :" his Excellency subsequently securing his elFects, 

 pajxirs, and goods, and forwarding them to the owners at Bathurst. 



" Bissao," declining when I visited it last in April, 1855, has since then 

 greatly deteriorated in trade and appearance. The old buildings, totally 

 neglected, are sinking into ruins, the troops without barracks living in miser- 

 able mud huts, the port occupied by only a few colonial and coasting vessels, 

 the market scantily sup])lied with the commonest necessaries of life, are 

 indubitable evidences that the power and prestige of Portugal are rapidly on 

 the wane in this part of the world. 



Passing the island of" Bulama," I reached the entrance of the " Rio Grande," 

 which well deserves its name as the finest stream between the " Gambia " and 

 the " Bight of Benin," capable of being made a great highway to the interior, 

 and the means of opening a trade with the natives. 



On the right-hand bank, called " Bessassema," are two settlements ; one 

 cultivated by a Frenchman, M. Henrique Orteau ; the other a small location 

 belonging to a vagrant English subject named Lawrence. 



The bank and grounds at " Bessassema " are cleared to a considerable 

 distance ; of a rich alluvial soil, they produce corn, kus, rice, ground-nuts, 

 sugar-cane, yams, potatoes, vegetables, tropical and European fruits, flowers 

 in abundance. 



M. Henrique Orteau employs about 300 natives ; has a well-built open town ; 

 the huts, very lofty, with thick mud walls, and broad piazzas, are admirably 

 calculated for the climate. He represented the place as healthy, and that even 

 in the rainy season fevers seldom or never prevailed. 



Having mentioned my intention to revisit " Kanabac," attempt to reach and 

 land at " Orango," and then try for and explore the " Kittaiiny river," M. 

 Orteau, who has wandered about in the adjacent countries, the " Bijugas," and 

 in the neighbourhood of the *' Kittafiny " for years, most courteously offered to 

 accompany me and afford his valuable experience in piloting the steamer. 



We ascended the " Eio Grande " to a considerable distance : the banks are 

 in many places very lofty, open, and the coimtry adjacent to them fertile, 

 undulating and picturesque, presenting numerous well adapted situations to 

 establish factories where now are only a few solitary huts of the ivory hunters 

 and small traders. The " Biafaras " inhabit the north side of the " Rio Grande," 

 and possess the districts of " Ginhala " and " Bijuba." 



Resembling the " Balantes " of the river " Geves," they are industrious, 

 active, warlike, trade with their neighbours in rice, maize, poultry, oxen, but 

 never traffic in slaves. They never contract marriages out of their own 

 country or permit strangers to enter it. Gold-mines are said to exist in this 

 territory, about twelve leagues in length ; but the most simple, available, and 

 certain opening for commerce would be ivory, wax, hides, corn, ground-nuts, 

 and the various productions of the interior portion of the country, in exchange 

 for British manufactures. Crossing the " Jambeer " channel to " Kanabac," I 

 found that the king with his people were at a neighbouring island collecting 

 rice. I sent my chief interpreter, Mr. Daniel Sleight, and his Majesty with a 

 few chiefs and old men came on board the steamer at 4 o'clock in the morning, 

 and waited patiently for me until daylight. He expressed great satisfaction 

 at seeing me again, and exhibited the military chaco I gave him in 1855, which 

 with a native pagne or cloth round his loins constituted the royal apparel. I 

 landed at noon and walked three miles to the king's chief town, accom- 

 panied bv my wife, the first European female that ever trod the land of 

 *' Kanabac." 



It is needless for me to enter into a detailed statement of " Kanabac," its 



