RICHNESS OF VEGETATION. 401 



I also had all the water boiled before drinking it, 

 which is necessary in that part of the country, and 

 my principle beverage was cold weak tea, without 

 sugar, and slightly flavoured with fresh lime 

 juice. As soon as our morning meal was over, 

 we embarked, and pulled steadily until noon, 

 when we rested for a couple of hours imder 

 the shade of some overhanging trees, when the 

 Kroomen fished whilst I enjoyed a most refreshing 

 sleep. 



Here the influence of the tide had nearly ceased, 

 and a great change was observable in the land- 

 scape on each side of the river, which began to 

 assume a more pleasing aspect, the richness of the 

 vegetation increasing as we advanced, and the 

 foliage of the varied shrubs exhibiting a more 

 healthy tone. The banks of the river became more 

 elevated, and generally consisted of a reddish clay, 

 having a top soil of rich alluvium, evidently the 

 accumulated deposit of successive inundations. 

 Undulations, covered with richly tinted foliage, 

 were now not uncommon; and even where the 

 ground was low I could see no trace of mangrove 

 2d 



