310 PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL 



from which criminals, as for instance, seducers of the wives 

 of the King, &c. are sometimes precipitated. 



August 7th. In the morning we found ourselves between 

 Gamba islands. We saAv several birds. The mountains con- 

 sist every where of mica-slate. These picturesque islands 

 are very much visited by hippopotami. At noon a gentle 

 breeze carried us a little higher up. The river at Fidler's 

 Elbow is again somewhat more expanded. In its middle 

 are some rocks, with scattered trees. The river turns north- 

 ward, and is contracted by the mountains. These are here 

 somewhat higher up intersected b\' narrow valleys. They 

 are all of the same mica-slate formation, inclining in all 

 directions, but commonly towards the west. The inclina- 

 tion is at half an angle (qu. do''). We observed half-a-dozen 

 monkeys, from three to four feet in length, on a hill near 

 the southern bank. The breeze seems to die away as we 

 pass between the mountains. We anchored on the southern 

 bank. The natives of Benda begin already to talk of the 

 fall of Yallalla, of which, they tell us, we may hear the 

 roar. At one time we could only approach this cataract 

 by a journey by land, or by double-boats composed of 

 canoes, &c. The river is here broad, resembhng the 

 Scotch lakes. 



August 18th. I went on shore up a narrow A'alley, 

 opposite to us, which, as is usual, forms at its lower end a 

 small plain, covered with grass, and higher up a narrow, 

 deep ravine, the sides of which are covered with trees. 

 Galwey and myself ascended the hill just before us. It 

 consists of mica-slate. 



