98 TiMEHRI. 



spots, the sites of small settlements, delight the eye — 

 such as Paripe, where the slightly raised banks are 

 covered with short grass, lined or studded with low 

 spreading and richly green-coloured trees, among which 

 nestle groups of pi6luresquely thatched houses, of which 

 but glimpses can be caught at times between the 

 openings; while overhead tower cocoa-nut and acouyeroo 

 palms, with here and there dense clusters of the graceful 

 bamboo trees. 



It is at Seba, however, 13 miles beyond Akyma where 

 the steamer stops, that the charming features of the 

 river culminate ; and as seen from above, where 

 a sudden bend brings it into full view, the place is alto- 

 gether delightful. At the end of a long avenue of dark 

 water banked in by the high forest, rises, for more than 

 100 feet, the great rounded mass of rock sloping some- 

 what abruptly down from the middle. On the left side, 

 the river, which really bends away sharply, seems to 

 end dire6lly on the rock ; while, on the right, it opens 

 out into a wide-curved bay arched round by the trees. 

 The bare rock crops out along the riverside, up to the door 

 of the neat-looking wooden house which occupies the 

 middle of the hill, and at the sides where several thatched 

 sheds give a very pi6luresque appearance to the scene. 

 Above and beyond the house, the hill rises, extending for 

 some distance, and covered with short green grass, on 

 which various domestic animals browse ; while tall cocoa- 

 nut and acouyeroo palms, and immense mango and bread- 

 nut trees in the immediate background of the house, from a 

 magnificent bower to the little settlement. As a pi6lure 

 of peaceful and beautiful rusticity, the view is unsurpassed 

 by anything else to be found on the river. 



