330 CULTIVATION — COTTON. CHAP. XII. 



tried by illness while detained at the coast, that for 

 nearly two years he was not able to turn his abilities as a 

 naturalist to account by proceeding to that island. We 

 have no doubt but he will yet distinguish himself in that 

 untrodden field. 



On the 16th of June we started for the Upper Cata- 

 racts, with a rnule-cart, our road lying a distance of a 

 mile west from the river. We saw many of the deserted 

 dwellings of the people who formerly came to us; and 

 were very much struck by the extent of land under culti- 

 vation, though that, compared with the whole country, is 

 very small. Large patches of mapira continued to grow, 

 — as it is said it does from the roots for three years. The 

 mapira was mixed with tall bushes of the Congo-bean, 

 castor-oil plants, and cotton. The largest patch of this 

 kind we paced, and found it to be six hundred and thirty 

 paces on one side — the rest were from one acre to three, 

 and many not more than one-third of an acre. The 

 cotton — of very superior quality — was now dropping off 

 the bushes, to be left to rot — there was no one to gather 

 what would have been of so much value in Lancashire. 

 The huts, in the different villages we entered, were 

 standing quite perfect. The mortars for pounding corn — 

 the stones for grinding it — the water and beer pots — the 

 empty corn-safes and kitchen utensils, were all un- 

 touched; and most of the doors were shut, as if the 

 starving owners had gone out to wander in search of roots 

 or fruits in the forest, and had never returned. When 

 opened, several huts revealed a ghastly sight of human 

 skeletons. Some were seen in such unnatural positions, 

 as to give the idea that they had expired in a faint, when 

 trying to reach something to allay the gnawings of 

 hunger. 



We took several of the men as far as the Mukuru- 

 Madse for the sake of the change of air and for occu- 



