51.S Messrs. R, B. & J. D. S. Woodward on 



extends over low hills and swampy valleys, and, beiii<^ 

 unhealthy, is thinly populated, the native kraals being on 

 the outskirts. We did not find it a good locality for birds, 

 and although it was the spring of the year, we heard no new 

 notes, and even the commoner species were not plentiful. 

 We obtained here, however, a specimen of the Pileated Fran- 

 colin [Falco pileatus), which we had not met with before. 



After a short stay here we went on, passing tlirough a 

 grassy country interspersed with '^ pans " or shallow sheets 

 of fresh water, often covered with the blue lotus, which filled 

 the air with its sweet scent, and other aquatic plants, and 

 bordered with rushes — the larger ponds being visited by 

 waterfowl in considerable numbers. 



On November 8th we reached St. Lucia Lake, near its 

 southern end, where we found the water so shallow that we 

 were able to wade right across it, though this was rather a 

 tedious process, it being a mile broad at this point. As 

 there was a considerable deposit of mud, we left our wagon 

 on the bank and took our things over by bearers. When 

 the water is deep a boat is used. 



The country we wished to explore lay between the lake 

 and the sea — a strip of land about four miles broad, but 

 increasing in width towards the northern end. We found 

 the land here more elevated and divei"sified, with several 

 sand-hills of considerable height. Mr. Feyling has a Mission 

 Station in this locality : he has not been long here, but finds 

 the climate more healthy than the inland side of the lake. 

 He was engaged in building a new house, commanding a fine 

 view of the ocean on one side and the lake on the other. 

 This was constructed chiefly of timber from a large barque 

 that had been wrecked on the coast. This gentleman 

 informed us that he had shot a specimen of the Spoonbill 

 [Platalea alba) on the lake, but that it appeared to be rare. 



After stopping about a fortnight in this neighbourhood, 

 which consists principally of grassy hills interspersed with 

 clumps of low bush, with the aid of the missionary's cart, 

 which was drawn by a span of donkeys, we moved about ten 

 miles further up the coast, where thex'e is an extensive forest 



