GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 341 



the slate rocks; disappearing probably where the river 

 first enters these schistose mountains, and forms the nar- 

 rows, and rising again a little below their termination, at 

 Point Sondie, where the channel begins to Aviden, and from 

 whence to Lendjoo Point, a succession of tornados and 

 Avhirlpools were observed to disturb the regular current of 

 the river. These whirlpools are described, both by Cap- 

 tain Tuckey and Mr. Fitzmaurice, to be so violent and 

 dangerous, that no vessel could attempt to approach them. 

 Even the eddies occasioned by them were so turbulent as 

 frequently to resist both sails, oars, and towing, twisting 

 the boats round in every direction; and it was with the 

 utmost difficulty, that they were extricated without being 

 swamped. The instances of rivers losing themselves for a 

 lime under ground are so common, in all countries, that 

 there seems to be no particular objection to the hypothesis 

 of the Zaire losing a great portion of its waters in its 

 passage through the narrows, under its schistose bed. 

 At the same time, the eye might be deceived in estimating 

 the quantity of -water forced into a narrow channel, and 

 running with the rapidity of a mill-sluice till it falls over a 

 cataract, by a comparison with that which flows in a deep 

 and expanded bed, in one uniform and tranquil motion; 

 having besides an eddy, or counter-current, on one or both 

 sides, which carries a considerable portion of water in a 

 retroo-rade direction. 



Be this as it may, the Zaire, beyond the mountainous 

 regions, was again found to expand to the Avidth of two, 

 three, and even more than four miles, and to flow with a 



