14 THE FERNAND VAZ. Chap. H. 



the principal home of the gorilla, of which I shall 

 have more to say presently. 



Towards the north stretches the delta of the great 

 Ogobai River, a much larger stream than the Fernand 

 Vaz, with its network of channels densely fringed 

 with manerove-trees. The country on the riglit 



'to 



bank of the Fernand Yaz is thickly wooded, and 

 consists principally of mangrove swamps. Thus, on 

 one side of the broad sluggish stream, lies a tract 

 of dense woodland, and, on the other, an expanse of 

 open prairie. The Ogobai is the only West African 

 river at j^resent kirown, between the Niger and the 

 Congo, which rises far in the interior and breaks 

 through the great coast range of mountains. One 

 of the channels from the Ogobai combines with the 

 Fernand Yaz a few miles from its mouth. About 

 forty miles up stream the bed of the Fernand Vaz 

 becomes contracted ; higher up, wooded hills hem 

 it in on both sides — the portals of the mountainous 

 and picturesque A.frican interior, and the river 

 changes its name to Eembo, meaning t]ie River par 

 excellence. 



The prairies of the Fernand Vaz are not unhealthy. 

 During the dry season, from June to September, a 

 steady, strong, and cool sea-breeze blows over the 

 land, without, howe^"er, raising dunes or sandy hil- 

 locks of the beautiful white sand which forms the 

 soil of the prairie. All the pools and marshes dry 

 up ; and, before the continued dryness has parched 

 up the herbage, the aspect is that of an extensive 

 English park, especially when in the cool hours of 

 early morning a herd of wild cattle (Bos brachy- 



