PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 203 



July 25th. A gentle breeze carried us about two miles 

 higher up, where we anchored near the shore in a small 

 ba3\ The natives welcomed us. A water-snake about four 

 feet in length Avas caught in the cabin of the Captain. He 

 must have swam on board durins; the nisiht. For the first 

 time we saw here the bank of the river rising perpendicu- 

 larly about four feet, and consisting of indurated clay 

 The surface was thickly overgrown with grass ; but as the 

 soil consisted of a hardened clay, it was not so high as 

 usual. Groves and forests of Ihjphcene, mingled with 

 some Adamonhr, were the only kinds of trees that occur- 

 red. The village Condo Tjongo was at a short distance. 

 It consisted of huts covered with neat mats, made of grass 

 or straw, and supported by poles. We walked about an 

 hour in the high grass and between the trees, on which 

 calabashes were hanging to receive the juice which consti- 

 tutes the palm-wine. 1 shot a large species of Corviis and 

 some small pigeons, of which a great number were cooing 

 in the trees. We saw numerous traces of buffaloes, and 

 -were told by the natives that tliey had seen a whole herd 

 ■ of these animals early in the morning. Tiie vegetation 

 here is without variety. A gentle breeze carried us some- 

 what higher up the river. A\'e crossed the channel, and 

 passed to the shore on the right, near Farquhar's island. 



J bad now the opportunity of going on shore for a few 

 minutes. Here at lengtli, for the first time, some traces of 

 cultivation were seen. A considerable extent of land -was 

 planted with maize, and some tobacco, both of Avhich Avere 

 now ahjout one foot high. I collected tv>o new plants, and 



