266 
THE DELTA PASSED. 
terminate near this part, about one hundred and fifty 
miles from the sea ; as, although we saw many insig- 
nificant creeks, apparently running off, we met with no 
real divergent after this. A large branch, on the 
right bank — about eight hundred yards wide, with a 
strong current — had all the appearance of being one ; 
but on descending a short distance, until it had dimi- 
nished to about two hundred yards, we found that the 
water escaped by various small creeks, and the principal 
joins the main river again at Owra Ucha. Another 
confirmation of having passed the Delta, was the 
appearance of rising land to the north-east about one 
hundred feet high. A little higher up, similar eleva- 
tions were also seen over the right bank. Both had 
the appearance of a long line of gentle hills, running 
away diagonally from a point about twelve miles above 
this, and taking a direction respectively to the south- 
east and south-west. 
The river was here exceedingly beautiful. The shores 
richly clothed with verdure, and many noble trees : — the 
Bombax, with its enormous trunk and rich festoons of 
creepers and Orckide(B^ being very prominent. The 
amount of cultivation in yams, plantains, &c., proved 
the country to be populous, although the villages were 
but partially seen ; being generally built in a tliicket, 
which served as protection. 
Some officers landed from the ‘Albert’ at a village 
called Osochai. It was but small, containing only 
twenty-seven huts, most of them being quadrangular, 
