60 
with so much care there are holes four and five feet deep made by 
the heavy rains. Even the bridges built over the stream have 
suffered. 
Excuse my adding that while I landed on a dreadfully hot day, 
which made me perspire like a ship fireman, I had the opportunity 
to see the Sierra Leoneeses (female) in their pure beauty. 
a beautiful hag of skin they have; itis not black, but a pale 
brown choco 
The eee F the “ Coomassie ” advised he would leave Sierra 
Leone at 3 p.m., so that Willey and I took the way down to the 
harbour in time to catch her. Along the street at the front of the 
houses any amount of strong plants of Acalypha. 
Now we are going at full speed towards Boma, about 1,600 miles 
from Sierra Leone, without making any other calls on the way. 
The distance between Antwerp and Boma is 5,000 nautical miles. 
If we reach the Congo on the 30th we shall be glad. 
Believe me, & 
(Signed) " LOUIS GENTIL. 
MA, November 2, 1897. 
Atlast! Everything is done, all is settled [t TEOS Coomassie ” 
arrived at Banana on Friday last at 2 p.m. It anchored there 
until the next day, 6 p.m. We arrived at Boma at 3 h 
authorities there gave me a bed and a pair of covers. The Foul waite 
day was a Bank holiday and so was the Monday, so that tired and 
suffering from the action of that wonderful sun I was lying down 
nearly all the day long. To-day I had to mea e to the 
General Secretary, who introduced me to Both 
were charming men. many dudes Monts Riy studies 
both at home and abroad, they decided to give me the direction of 
the principal, healthiest and most extended eee pu aeris 
TEC, of the Free State—I mean the equa So t next 
rsday I shall leave Boma in order to reach Eraiteurvite about 
the "middle of December. From Boma I travel by steamer to 
atadi ; from Matadi to the river l'Inkissi by railway (?) From 
VInkissi to Leopoldville six or seven days’ walking. From 
Leopoldville E Equateurville (my future rosidénoo) by steamer. 
Beside my ow y I have six men to carry my luggage and four 
men for th Aga stores, olen water, &c. Next December 
I shall be mn a vertical sun. As I promised you, my next 
letter will give you my im Send ions of two months of super- 
intendence of the Government Plantations at the equator. 
The banks of the Congo from Matadi to Boma are beautiful, I 
may say , just as nice as the Sierra Leone coast, but here at Boma 
it is very poor indeed. 
Believe me, & 
(Si feet LOUIS GENTIL. 
Botanical Magazine for February.—All the plants figured are in 
cultivation at Kew. Richardia elliottiana was raised from South 
African seeds by Mr. Knight, gardener to Captain Elliott, of 
