AFRICA. 233 
&ort€ri the Vx^ay, as I (hould run thereby the 
kfs rifk of lofing myfelf : but the rain had the 
day before fo fvvelled the river, that it had in, 
many parts overflowed, and had formed, efpe- 
eially in the low landsj iramenfe lakes. Thefe 
collections of water, which often prefented 
themfelvesj rendered it neeeffary for us to make 
long windings, that greatly retarded our pro- 
grefs ; and to reach the fea, I was therefore 
obliged to employ more time than, under other 
icircumftances, fuch a diftance would have re- 
quired. I would not, however, alter my route, 
becaufe the lakes were covered w^ith an im^ 
menfe multitude of aquatic birds of e very kind, 
a|id particularly gulls, fea-fwallows, and fla- 
mingos, which I faw in thoufands. 
I thought I muft find among thefe innu- 
merable flocks new objeds worthy of being 
added to my colledion. I indeed killed feveral, 
and among thefe a charming bird three feet in 
height, which at prefent makes a part of my 
cabinet of natural hiflory. Its head and throat, 
which are entirely bare, are covered wnth a 
{kin of the brightefl: red, terminated by a band 
of a beautiful orange, which feparates the 
paked part from that covered with feathers. 
4 The 
