330 JOURNEY. 



presented me, at parting, with a clean white 

 bag, containing refreshments for the day; 

 and I set out on my raft, which was made of 

 poles of a very light wood, about six inches 

 diameter, and from twenty-five to thirty feet 

 long. About a dozen of these were lashed 

 together with the tough tendrils of the 

 woodbine, which in this country grows to 

 the height of one hundred and twenty or 

 one hundred and thirty feet, and is suffici- 

 ently strong for any similar purpose. The 

 head of the raft, being more tightly bound 

 than the hinder part, was narrower, whilst 

 the stern spread like a fan ; which method 

 is found to answer best for the navigation of 

 the river. In the centre of the raft, a plat- 

 form, about six feet long, was raised for 

 me to sit; and three sticks were put upright, 

 to place my saddle on. The pilot stood 

 in the forepart, and managed our navi- 

 gation very skilfully with a paddle. The 

 seat was well covered with plantain leaves. 



