CORN MILLET. 399 



found myself much better, having had a severe 

 attack of fever : I was also happy to observe 

 Mr. Lander was much better. The river the 

 last few days has not varied much in width and 

 appearance. We purchased a little salt to-day of 

 a very black colour, having been subjected to a 

 process of heat, by the natives, to prevent its de- 

 liquescence. The water the last few days has 

 presented a very muddy appearance. We halted 

 at 6 p. M. 



A little after midnight we again proceeded. 

 The weather in the morning was dull. At day- 

 light we saw a canoe containing three persons, 

 habited in tobes, looking as broad as dining- 

 tables ; and soon after, two beautiful cranes, a 

 black one and a white one, flew over our heads. 

 We passed several fields of corn millet (sorghu??i 

 vidgare), in the course of the morning ; but it was 

 not quite ripe. An immense number of birds 

 were hovering over them. In some of the fields 

 were platforms* about twelve feet high, on which 

 boys were stationed under a thatched roof, pull- 

 ing a string, to which several calabashes were 

 attached within such a distance from each other 

 that they would strike together by merely touch- 

 * This device is alluded to by Mr. Lander. 



