158 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 
The expedition left Matadi by rail reaching Leopoldville July 1, 
bevond the cataracts and 32U miles from the coast. From there it 
proceeded by boat to Stanleyville, hoping to find this place suitable for 
a permanent base of operations. Stanleyville is 720 miles inland, 
twenty-two days’ journey from Leopoldville, although the return trip 
requires only thirteen or fourteen days owing to the swiftness of the 
current. Most of the steamers on the Congo are stern-wheelers, of 
very shallow draught because there are so many sand bars. The ex- 
pedition, however, did not utilize one of these steamers but took a 
barge, propelled by a twin serew tug alongside. Wherever the boat 
stopped to take on firewood, the men went ashore, collected whatever 
was possible, and on coming back had the advantage of the large deck 
of the barge for work. 
Of the voyage up stream Mr. Lang writes: 
The lack of any congregation of large birds must be a surprise to anyone, espe- 
cially on such a mighty stream interrupted by so many forested or grass-covered 
islands. One kind of vulture is the most common large bird, but to s2e more than 
twenty in a day is unusual. There are some white-headed eagles. In Stanley Pool 
kites are common, sitting on the sand bars, in the neighborhood of which some 
solitary pelicans may be seen preening themselves or swimming. On shore there 
are ibis and geese. A few egrets emerge silently from the bushes on the swampy 
islands. Water turkeys, mostly single, but sometimes in pairs disappear at once in 
the water or reeds, or very often take wing to establish another lookout on some 
branch farther off. To see a few large herons is an occasion, but it may become an 
exciting event if one discovers, on some distant sand bar, a few marabous. Small 
shore birds or pigeons may often enliven the edge of shores and sand banks; but the 
only large aggregations of any bird on the Congo during this season are composed 
of a species of Glareola, of which several large flocks have been observed. Even the 
birds that cross the river from time to time show no great variety; flocks of scream- 
ing gray parrots are common in the morning and evening, a few hornbills in very 
elegant swoops, plantain eaters, single or in pairs, more seldom, ducks, heron and 
ibis. We distinguished five different kinds of kingfishers as they darted out from 
the branches or hovered over the water. 
On land it is quite different. Above Kwamouth, not only are larger birds more 
common, but indeed small birds are fairly abundant, especially weaver birds, sun- 
birds, bee eaters, wagtails, sandpipers, goatsuckers, swifts, swallows, pigeons, 
rollers and starlings. We were disappointed in our desire to see mammals from the 
boat on the journey up stream. There were occasional bands of monkeys sitting 
in trees near the shore, but no elephants trespassing or bathing in herds, and no 
buffaloes. In fact, the few places where elephants have been seen six or more years 
back are pointed out to you, like historic places. Even the hippos seem to resent 
the bullets that are invariably sent in their direction by the passengers of any passing 
boat. It is true that we saw some, but it took good looking and a strong field glass. 
If it happens that a young innocent hippo shows himself full size on a sand bar, 
the ever hungry negroes on board talk only of something to eat and proceed to 
shoot him. 
