1 94 COUTIESPONDENCE. 
Palm, the petiole of which is used for building houses ; the plant does not 
Bend out one direct stem, rather a mass of shoots, and capable of bearing fruit 
when not more than six feet high ; wliile the foliage reaches the astonishing 
height of nmety feet. Nothing can be more gracefid than to see their tops 
overhanging almost every other species. It differs greatly from what is called 
the Bamboo at Old Calabar, but both belonging to the geuus HapMa {^R. longi- 
folia and Moolceri are probably meant. Ed.]. There are two species of Pan- 
danus very plentiful along the margin of those creets. As we approached 
Feman Vas I saw several species of aqiiatic Amaryllids^ also along the sides 
of the creeks great patches of Papyrus, resembling the Papyrus antlquontm. 
The stems are used by children for making baskets ; it is not used otherwise. 
The Clerodendron Tomsordiy Balf., is very plentiful at Feman Vas, more so 
than at Calabar- It is also to be found at the head of the Kembo river, bor- 
dering on the Backina country. A large species of Juncus is pientifid on the 
Eembo, I saw the same species of aquatic plants which I found at Calabar, 
■with the exception of one which was new to me, I also saw two species of 
very small Water-lilies {N^ymphceacece) ; one is yellow, which I would say is 
a NupJiar, and the other a Kymplima j independent of the two in question 
there is a thirds the widely- diffused large white one. There is a munber of 
fine grasses and many of which I saw for the first time at Brooklyn Island, 
Fernan Yas, Mr. Latta caUcd my attention to a fine Liliaceous plant cover- 
ing the bushes, with splendid flowers. Fortunately a number were in flower, 
which enabled me to obtain plenty of specimens. 
The faima and flora of the Rembo river resembles that of Calabar. Such is 
not the case at the Gaboon. The Beetles of the Bembo, if not the same 
species, at least belong to the same genera. Tlie Butterflies are almost the 
same, and so on with other genera. I have seen here at the Gaboon fruit of 
a Fan Palm [probably Borassus ^tMopum, Mart. Ed.] which was brought 
by Bobert Kirkwood, Esq., from Point Pearo, about 2^ 7' south. Mr. Kirk- 
wood kindly gave me one of the fruit as a specimen. It measures 94 inches 
in circumference and about 9 inches in length ; it is nearly round. 
When leaving Yiti, I thought I had for ever left the land of cannibalism and 
barbarism. Such has not been the case. On our return from Feman Yas we 
halted for a night at Cape Lopez. On the following morning I saw a party of 
people coming along the beach, beating drums, and in the midst was a woman, 
her body all painted over and her hair ornamented with feathers. I soon 
found that she was about to go through the ordeal of drinking poison for 
witchcraft, and followed the party to a freshwater stream. By order she 
eat down upon a bank. At this time I went amongst them and used all my 
influence to save the poor woman. They promised that she should not die ; 
but I had no sooner turned my back than they gave her the poison. It 
brought on a shivering, and in a few moments she was a corpse. A large fire 
was now kindled ; her legs, arms, and head were severed from the body and 
bunded to ashes. Her body was opened, lier heart taken out and held up to 
public gaze, and the executioner crying out to aU parties to look upon the 
witch. Such is the present state of Africa, Cape Lopez is a notorious 
