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 Nymphcea, a Menyanthes indica, and several 

 others. They were almost all herbaceous. Tudor chased 

 several water-fowl, but with little success. Traces of Hippo- 

 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 



. . . 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- 



