9^ ' VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
a . 
rijd isvery good to eat. The wild ducks and pigeons are delicious; 
but geese and turkeys become emaciated. 
There is likewise a vast quantity of sea and river iisli: the 
spermaceti whale is sometimes found at Sierra Leone, but more 
frequently on the northern coasts. There are also sharks, thorn- 
backS; porpoises, eels, mackarel, and mullet, all of which are 
eaten, except the eels. Oysters and the other kinds of sh-eil4isii 
are likewise very plentiful, and serve as food for the natives. 
Green turtle are very common here, and are often of an in- 
conceivable size. Land and river tortoises are also to be met 
with ; the former in great numbers : they are used by the people^ 
and might be sent to Europe with advantage. 
Amongst the zoophites, none deserve greater attention than the 
common spunge, which covej s the sandy shores, and with which 
a considerable trade might be carried on. 
The beasts of prey arc lions, leopards, hyœnas, civet cats, 
and several species of weazles. The last mentioned animals are 
great enemies of poultry. There are likewise apes of various 
species. The chimpanzee is common on the mountains of Sierra 
Leone, and resembles a man more than the ourang-outang : ita 
greatest height is nearly five feet, and it is covered with loiig 
and thick hair down the back, but short and light on the breast 
and belly. Its face is without hair, and the hands and head are 
similar to those of an old Negro, except that the hair of the 
head is not curly, it eats, drinks, sleeps, and sits at table hke 
a human being. When young, it Walks on ail fours ; but treads 
on the back of itshrnds: when grown up, it moves erect by 
the aid of a stick. 1 his animal is alway gentle and good na- 
tured. 
A species of crocodiles and caymans is to be seen here, which 
has cover been described by naturalists: they are ten or twelve 
feet long. 
There are six knov n species of lizards, amongst which are the. 
guana aiîd the caméléon. Serpents are innumerable: they en- 
ter the houses during thç night for the purpose of catcliing the 
poultry: the largest \iihich was ever known here, Wi^s eightteu 
i^et long; but it was found not to be venemous. 
Insects are innumerable in this part of the w orld. The most 
remarkable m^e the ter mi tis, or white ants, which eat and even 
destroy hedges and houses tiiat are built of wood ; while ihe 
common ants only dt-vour provisions. The grasshoppers and 
crickets consume cLothes, Imen, and leather; and tlîere are 
miisqiiitocs, files, scorpiof3s,.and centipedes, as well as wild bees, 
the last of v.l;ich furnish wax and honey in abundiince. Worms 
are iiltSe kiK'Avn ; but the brirnacJes are large, and do much in- 
- jury to the ships tlial arc not covered with copper. 
