290 PROFESSOR SMITH’S JOURNAL 
July 23d. being awaked early in the morning by the 
cries of the parrots, we went on shore on a low island 
(Mampenga.) I had not expected to find here any great 
variety in the vegetation. A number of new objects, how- 
ever, presented themselves every moment as I walked on. 
The island is the point of an extensive sand bank formed 
in the river, and at the north side is almost joined to the 
main land. In the middle were low morasses, in which a 
number of different plants were growing, and among them 
two species of Nymphaa, a Menyanthes indica, and several 
others. ‘They were almost all herbaceous. ‘Tudor chased 
several water-fowl, but with little success. Traces of Hzppo- 
potami were seen every where in the sand. A singular 
species of Sterna and an Alcedo were shot. The river here 
abounds with canoes, which come to this side to fish. 
About thirty new plants collected here, will fully occupy 
my time until we shall weigh anchor in the evening. We 
proceed along the islands, several of which are overgrown 
with whole forests of the Cyperus papyrus. We are again 
near the main-land, which has a most beautiful appear- 
ance. , As 
A great many wine-palms growing among the 
thickets, seem to indicate a populous country. A num- 
ber of negroes walking about among the shrubs, call 
out to us as we go along. Behind the thicket is a village, 
but there is scarcely any penetrable landing-place on the 
shore. We continued our course along the north side, and 
anchored under Sangam Compenzi (Monkey’s Island), 
and we are again preparing ourselves for another excur- 
