84 JOURNAL OF THE 
six miles. Soon after entering the western branch, we 
perceived on the right shore a village of clay cottages, 
from whence a chief came off to us; the village was called 
Otuo. The men in the canoes were a robust race, and, like 
others who visited us in the course of the day, had a line or 
mark drawn over the forehead down to the nose. "Their 
clothes showed nothing remarkable; but the hair of some 
was divided into squares, like a chess-board ; while others wore 
it plaited, in numerous little tails, which stood erect on the 
head like so many horns. They spoke the Bassa language. 
The shore was generally very low, rising but little above the 
river, at the most elevated part perhaps 4 feet; wbile the 
bared roots of plants. made me think that the water is 
sometimes higher than at this time. 
Sunday, August 22.— Proceeding at break of day, we soon 
perceived on the left side a town ; the first we had yet seen, 
situated on an elevation of 6 to 10 feet above the river, and 
containing clay cottages, each with a covered court-yard; 
while higher up were some magazines or warehouses. I saw 
here no Cocoa palms, but in the course of the day a few single 
ones occurred. The natives, who assembled on the shore, 
to the number of several hundreds, it was fancied, men- 
tioned the name of the town as * Amasuma” and that of the 
river as * Oguberri.” Further on we came to two equally 
wide branches of the river, with equally strong currents, 
joining together; after some consideration, the easternmost — : 
. was chosen, and at two o'clock we arrived at a similar place, 
but wł re the western. channel. was very narrow. We pro-  — 
ceeded a short v way upwards, and Captain Allen caused two . _ 
plants to be fetched by the boat, which was towing. Oneis 
probably a new Dalber ia and one a Creeper, which I had 
watched eagerly ever since “ Sunday Island” It climbs 
up the trees along the shore, to their very summits, and z 
then drops many thread-like stalks, 6 feet long, covered at __ 
the top with bundles of yellow flowers, which often reach the =" 
ground. It appears a new genus, | closely allied to o Mucuna, - 
| A I call it oral Mas | à d 
