THE SOIL OF THE DELTA. 325 



had not reclaimed a single square foot of territory about the 

 mouths of this river. The wilderness came down to meet the 

 wilderness. An untamed land and an untamed sea. The roar 

 of wild beasts answered the roar of the wild waves. The mur- 

 muring sea responded to the sighing forest. 



The first twenty miles along the Kongone they passed between 

 rival jungles of mangrove; and when the mangroves were left 

 behind, on either hand there were vast level plains of rich dark 

 soil, covered with gigantic grasses which concealed the lairs of 

 wild beasts and intimidated even the most expert hunters. 

 Here and there the odd-looking huts of the natives, mounted 

 on " stilts," were seen hid away in bowers of bananas and cocoa 

 palms. The occupants of these little cotes were as industrious 

 as they could be expected to be, and frequently they had about 

 them an abundance of sweet potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes, 

 cabbages, onions, peas, corn and sugar cane, which would have 

 encouraged the most omnivorous of our species to think of set- 

 tlement. The wonderful soil of this delta can hardly have been 

 surpassed by even the marvellous fertility of Egypt in the days 

 when her mysterious river patron was most lavish of his bless- 

 ings. Rice was found to be largely cultivated, but the peculiar 

 adaptation of the soil to the sugar cane was quite apparent, and 

 the members of the expedition were convinced that this region 

 alone, covering an area of eighty miles by about fifty, properly 

 handled, would supply all Europe with sugar. 



As they ascended the river and came among the settlements 

 of the people, the steamers were manifestly the strangest specta- 

 cles which they had looked on. They gathered in groups 

 along the banks to gaze upon the apparitions. The " Pearl " 

 was in their eyes a floating village, and one old man who came 

 on board wondered if it " was made out of one tree." But 

 either human nature is notably alike there and here, or those 

 humble, ignorant creatures have been apt scholars of their 

 white masters ; for great as was their curiosity, it did not exceed 

 their cupidity. They were as full of questions as a Bostonian, 

 but as eager for a trade as a Connecticut peddler. Whenever 

 the ships halted, the light, swift canoes were seen shooting off 

 from the banks, laden with every kind of fruit and food which 

 the land afforded ; and as they steamed off again, anxious sellers 

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