CONGO EXPEDITION. 
tlement there. No remains of them or of their 
missions appeared on the river, except occasionally 
a few crucifixes mixed with the native fetiches. 
The ordeals mentioned by the Romish priests, how- 
ever, appear still prevalent. Our traveller saw a 
Gangam Kissey, or priest, who had been sent for 
to a village, in order to discover the persons who 
had been guilty of poisoning one of its inhabitants. 
The priest^ after throwing himself into frightful 
contortions, named three men, who were immedi- 
ately subjected to the trial of swallowing the poi- 
soned bark, a species of cassia. When it happens 
to be discovered that the sentences brought out 
by this species of trial are unjust, the kissey or 
fetiche is considered as solely in fault ; no blame, 
attaches to the Gangam* 
The dry season, which is properly the winter in 
Congo, lasts from April to September inclusive, 
and is called by the natives Go7idy assivoo. 
About the end of September begins a period of 
light showers, which fall once or twice in twenty- 
four hours ; they continue till the middle of Oc- 
tober, and are called Mallola mantity. The seri- 
ous rains begin in November, and continue till 
January ; these are very heavy, accompanied with 
heat, but without tornadoes 5 they are called Voo- 
laza manzanzy. The last and greatest rains, call- 
ed Voolaza chintomha^ occur in February and 
