334 PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 



rising of the river. Its shores were all around covered with 

 panicum. Aw alligator was swimming in the lake, and 

 another before the mouth. Traces of hippopotami were 

 seen everywhere. Shoals of fisii abounded in the small 

 creeks. A Hcematopus and several other birds were seen. 

 All this gave to that spot a romantic appearance. Having 

 crossed the projecting tongue of land situated under Ka- 

 vinda, we pitched our tent under the hills in the sandy cove 

 opposite the longest point ; and here it was evident from 

 the strand plants which projected into the water, that the; 

 river had risen from six to eight inches. The temperature 

 was as low as 73^° ; observations were made morning and 

 evening. An alligator was swimming about all night near 

 the shore, and contrived to carry oft' the only goat we had 

 left remaining. I found here again the beautiful Tetran- 

 dria, corolla tubuloso, foli/s imiltifidis, which I had seen 

 at Mampaya. 



Sept. 7th. A third canoe was hired to day, and all em- 

 barked. Projecting into the bay are picturesque rocks, 

 consisting of subverted alternating beds of clay and lime- 

 stone. 



Near some rocky islands, a number of small Charadrii 

 were seen. Behind these rocks, a little higher up, the river 

 is again somewhat contracted, and Ave were told that our 

 people would not be able to pass in canoes. One of them 

 was in fact upset, and broken by carelessness, which ac- 

 cident occasioned a long delay. At last we got over to 

 the other side of the river, and landed in a beautiful sandy 

 cove, at the opening of a creek, behind a long projecting 



