wz A JOURNEY UP THK RIVER CONGO. 
feet high. The trial to one’s patience occasioned by this 
terrible herbage is very great, and I am sure the grass 
produces more loss of temper, and causes consequently 
more nervous fever than anything in Africa. The act ot 
continually pushing apart the intercrossed blades is alone 
very fatiguing to the arms, while the face is scratched and — 
tickled by the seeds and awns, and the shins are bruised 
by constantly coming into contact with the stout, in- 
flexible lower stalks. The grass effectually shuts out all 
prospects of one’s surroundings, and harbours and conceals 
snakes, buffaloes, and hostile natives. I do not know a 
more despairing outlook than on arriving at the top of a 
hill in Africa to look down on a tract of waving grass. If 
it be a lake, you can either cross it in canoes or go round 
it; or if you look forth on a sterile desert you feel you 
may hurry over its sterility and at least see your way 
before you. But grass! How are you to know what 
dangers it does not veil? Quagmires, pitfalls, human 
enemies, or noxious beasts ? Fortunately this part of the 
Congo region is not all grass; the valleys are filled with 
fine forests, where you may walk pleasantly at midday in 
the cool, sweet shade, under the grandly overarching trees. 
And here it is that the African flora is best represented. 
On each side of the path are beautiful cannas, thickly 
erowing, with their crimson flower-spikes and yellow- 
green leaves, telling out strongly against the dark purple- 
ereen foliage behind. In the interior of the wood may be 
discerned flecks of colour caused by the orange flowers of 
a species of Jatropha,* and by the delicate pinky-mauve 
blossoms of the Amomum. ‘There are strange Arums and 
Anonas and many sprays of a scarlet Musswnda, which 
erows as a tall tree, and of a large white Mussenda, 
clematis-like, trailing over the bushes and undergrowth.” 
Myriads of little blue Commelyne deck the ground, and 
there are blue bean-flowers and white, purple Hmiliw and 
Gynure, mauve aud white Cleome, and large yellow 
mallows, while for absolute gorgeousness nothing can 
* J. multifida. 
