TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
73 
sage ? None appearing, we moved on without 
further molestation to the Creek, which we 
reached in about twenty minutes. The tide 
was nearly full, but still running up at the rate 
of about a mile per hour. < 
There is over this creek, w^hich is about two 
hundred and sixty feet wide, four feet deep, with 
clay and mud bottom, a cane bridge, supported 
by two rows of forked stakes, on which are laid 
cross pieces ; these are covered with small 
pieces of Bamboo, which, further strengthened 
by being interwoven with the smaller branches 
of the cane, affords a safe, though shaking pas- 
sage for two or three people on foot. The banks 
of the creek are covered with a kind of man- 
grove, some acacias, and a great number of the 
mimosas. Having unloaded the animals, and led 
them through the water to the opposite side, the 
men waded across, carrying the baggage on their 
heads, which was completed without any acci- 
dent in about an hour. From the eastern bank, 
where we halted to cook dinner and give the 
men an opportunity to wash their clothes, I had 
a very good view of the bridge, the village, and 
the surrounding country ; the latter, though 
much parched from the total want of rain for 
many months, and the almost continued in- 
fluence of the dry east wind, accompanied by a 
scorching sun, has not altogether lost its ver- 
