262 PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 



throueh the telescope I did not discover any difference in 

 the form or colour of the trees. Some of them scattered 

 about towards the beach appeared higher than the rest, 

 and were probably palms of the cocoa tribe. The pieces 

 of wood which we have fished up, do not present any 

 variety in their appearance. Ben asserts that the banks 

 of the river Congo are perfectly similar to this shore. 

 Whales (probably Pht/seter . . . . ) are seen daily swimm- 

 ing near the vessel. We catch every day a number of 

 Sparus resembling Pagrus. Its flesh, though dry, has a 

 very good taste. On the 28th we had passed that vast 

 tract of land, the appearance of which has been here de- 

 scribed, extending from Cape Mayambo through Malambo 

 and Guilango down to the bay of Loango. In the two last 

 days the aspect of the country has changed. The trees 

 do not form themselves into forests, but are scattered in 

 groups only, or stand singly, having uncommonly large 

 tops. These groups might be discovered from a great 

 distance, even when the whole country presented itself 

 only as a blue line, bordered by a gently rising ground 

 apparently naked, with banks of a greyish white colour, 

 which probably are banks of clay that have fallen down. 



To-day we made several attempts before we could weigh 

 the anchor. The current Avas very strong, and the bottom, 

 which before consisted of a sandy clay, was here uncom- 

 monly uneven, with banks of coral rocks and mud alter- 

 nately. Although the sea-breeze blew fresh, the vessel 

 made not the least progress. On Aveighiug the anchor for 

 the fourth time, we found it now to be so diflicult, that 



