GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 353 



trj were mica-slate, quartz, and sienite ; but here the rock 



■ 



formation, though not entirely, was considerably changed ; 

 the granite mountains and hills of pebbly quartz having 

 given way to clay and ferruginous earth, and the mica-slate 

 to lime-stone. The banks of the Zaire are now no longer 

 lined with continued masses of mica-slate, but man}' rocky 

 promontories of marble jut into the river, with fertile vales 

 between them ; and the reaches of the river itself stretching 

 out into broad expanded sheets of water, resembling so 

 many mountain lakes. The greater part of the surface 

 was noAV fit for cultivation, and towns or villages followed 

 each other in constant succession, far beyond the limits of 

 the Congo territory. Vegetation was more generally dif- 

 fused, as well as more varied ; and rills of clear water 

 trickled down the sides of the hills, and joined the great 

 river. It was just at the commencement of this improved 

 appearance of the country, where, from the sickly stale of 

 the party, and the loss of their baggage, Captain Tuckey 

 was reluctantly compelled to abandon the further prosecu- 

 tion of the objects of the expedition ; and in some respects 

 it was fortunate he did, as had he proceeded two or three 

 days longer, the whole party must unquestionably have 

 perished in the interior of Africa, and might perhaps never 

 more have been heard of. 



The account which the missionaries have given of the 

 climate, corresponds exactly with that which was expe- 

 rienced by Captain Tuckey. " The winter," says Carli, 

 ** of the kingdom of Congo, is the mild spring or autumn 



Zz 



