ACCOUNTED FOR. 
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vessel. On questioning a native on the subject, he gave 
a very satisfactory explanation. During the dry season, 
when the river is low, much of the land, now overflowed, 
is quite exposed and connected with the banks, and the 
grass soon springs up luxuriantly, affording a sunny and 
open resort for the numerous insects ; snakes then come 
out of the surrounding woods of these localities, and 
when the water rises, cutting off large patches, like 
islands, communication is prevented with the banks. 
As the river gets still higher, they are obliged to take 
refuge on the reeds, and when these are submerged, they 
swim off, attaching themselves to the first object they 
meet in their course which may afford a refuge ; in this 
way several must have accidently come In contact with 
the vessels in the stream. Whenever a noise was heard 
in “ Kru Town,” the people used to say, “ Another 
snake come.” One of a very venemous character was 
killed on board the ‘ Soudan/ 
Dr. Stanger, the geologist, and Dr. Vogel, the 
botanist, went to the top of the mountain, Patteh, which 
they found perfectly level, with many villages and much 
cultivation ; the grass was different from that on 
the banks of the river, being short and fine, and 
well suited for pasturage. Dr. Vogel says that the 
greater part of the indigenous fruits of Africa are to 
be met with on the summit of this mountain. Those 
gentlemen appeared to have suffered much from the 
heat and fatigue of the ascent, though the mountain is 
not more than one thousand two hundred feet high, 
