424 LIEUT. ALLEN TAKEN ILL. 



the birds from the corn. Byway of experiment, 

 we allowed some of the steam to escape from the 

 valve or blow-pipe boiler, on which they were 

 so terrified that they leaped down from the stages 

 and betook themselves to flight ; and, for some 

 time after, the towns were quite deserted. The 

 current of the Tchadda at the confluence runs 

 at the rate of from two to three knots an hour. 

 I regretted to find now that Lieutenant Allen 

 became very unwell. One seaman, and the mate 

 Roose, likewise complained of indisposition. 



The next day Lieutenant Allen, after an un- 

 pleasant night, in which we had suffered much 

 from mosquitoes, continued very unwell. The 

 morning was excessively wet ; and the ther- 

 mometer at 79°. Our progress had been di- 

 minished, from the engine not having sufficient 

 power to stem the force of the current. We had 

 now been a week in coming thus far from Attah. 

 The distance from Attah to Bocqua is about 

 thirty miles ; and from the latter place hither, 

 about thirty-five. 



At 10. 50, we got under weigh : tried the 

 rate of the current, and found it to be two knots 

 per hour. A strong breeze sprung up from the 

 northward, and continued a short time. The 



