PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 291 



sion on shore to morrow at an early hour, and to renew, 

 as it were, the exquisite pleasures of this day. 



July 24th. We landed on the second range of the low 

 sandy islands in the river, or Monkey's Islands (which 

 name the inhabitants give to these islands, not to those of 

 Maxwell). At low ebb they formed two ranges of banks, 

 of which those parts which are above the water at high 

 flood were thickly overgrown with a tall grass, and with 

 scattered thickets of shrubby plants. One of these shrubs 

 was a nezi^ genus, and another a new species of Limodoriim. 

 These plants and some Ci/peroidece were the principal 

 acquisitions of this day. 1 was running for a long time 

 after several strand birds, but shot only a few of them. 

 Galwey and Tudor were in another quarter. I waded to 

 the island farthest to the south, and returned in a canoe. 

 These islands are probably only inhabited periodically, 

 and nmst be j)arlly inundated in the rainy season. The 

 fishing for oysters seems to be the main object of the 

 negroes who live here. Large heaps of the shells of a 

 Mya lay spread all over the shore, and a great quantity of 

 dried and half-roasted oysters were hanging under the 

 straw huts. We have not yet seen any regular built hut, 

 but only thatched roofs, supported by four poles. A few 

 women only were to be seen. We were proceeding to the 

 northern woody side of the river, when mc observed the 

 fore-top sail hoisted on the boat. Innumerable canoes are 

 continually passing upwards and downwards. The object 

 of some, that of fishing ; of others, that of drawing palm- 

 A(vine from the trees. 



