452 THE LAST JOURNAL OF W. A. FORBES. 



of large Terns (? Sterna melanotis), the best of which I skinned. Came 

 on to rain hard before we got back to ship. 



Aug. 12th. Wet in morning. Left Bonny about 11 and went 

 ashore with Ashbury to photograph. Took photos of a big tree (? a 

 Bomba-x). and three of a so-called " albino " girl (Ibo), belonging to a 

 black named Hart, who sent us (it having got very wet) aboard the 

 'Adriatic ' hulk in grand style in his canoe, with about thirty paddlers, 

 double-banked. On board ' Adriatic ' for the night, 



Aug. 13th. On board ' Adriatic' with Captain Gillies and C. de Certi, 

 a Corsiean trader, formerly at Opobo. Wet all morning, and did not 

 leave ship till about 4 P.M., when left with Ashbury and Greenshiekls 

 for Akassa in 4 Dodo.' Ship rolled horribly during the night. 



Aug. 14th. Off the mouth of the ]STun at 8 A.M., but did not reach 

 Ibis, 1883, Akassa till three hours later, owing to the difficulty of sighting the bar- 

 buoy, the land being hazy. River about a mile or a mile and a balf 

 broad at mouth, 12 feet of water on bar, passage being surrounded by 

 breakers on both sides, and particularly on the west. Akassa is situated 

 on the right bank, a few miles above mouth. Two dwellings, a billiard- 

 room, some sheds, native huts, and further up the shops. About 180 

 Lands employed, all, except three, black. Mr. W. A. Earnshaw in 

 charge, Sargent and Macintosh being away. A lovely yellow bushy 

 Hibiscus, with big leaves, behind the house ; also saw a black Papilio, a 

 male Chalcosia, crowds of Anophtlialmus, land-crabs of several species, 

 one with asymmetrical chelae (? Callianassa}, and a black lizard with red 

 head and tail. The natives had strings of a large Achatina hanging up 

 for sale to eat, and with them a Cinixyt. Had some chops at the house 

 and left about 5 in the * King Massaba,' Captain Charles Macintosh, for 

 Abutschi, a station just below Onitscha. For some miles steamed 

 through nothing but half -flooded mangrove-swamps, in which gradually 

 a few bushy palms appear, these increasing in number as banks get a 

 little higher and land firmer. Anchored for night about 10. In 

 swamps about 5.30 P.M. ; saw half a dozen live Scopus, also a grey 

 Parrot or two, and a large black-and-white Kingfisher. 



Aug. 15th. Under steam all day from about 5.30 to 8. Out of the 

 mangroves at daylight ; they do not extend very far up. Ashbury 

 photographing the banks, with village, all day. Towns in this part 

 hostile. Passed in afternoon place where ' Sultan of Sokoto ' got ashore 

 and was plundered, a few miles below a largish village called Emblama. 

 The banks are covered with not very thick forest and jungle, a large 

 cotton-tree being the most conspicuous plant, also oil-palms in numbers. 

 In afternoon saw several of a moderate-sized tree, with white smooth 

 stem and splendid large scarlet flowers. Many plantains, a few cassavas, 

 and a large Calodium-Yike plant called " coco " are grown by the natives. 

 The banks are low, with many sand-banks in places, all apparently a 



