12 
SAD FEELINGS. 
when we were only about twenty miles from the sea 
our fuel ran shoi’t. The stokers having participated 
in the general anxiety to leave the river, had taken 
every opportunity of burning coal, when Avood was 
ordered to be used. The consequence was, that the 
engineer was deceived as to the quantity, and sur- 
prised to find it all consumed when he believed there 
was sufficient to carry us to the mouth of the river, 
— if not over the bar. Our Krumen cut about four 
hours’ supply with great difficulty, as the water covered 
the banks. At the margin of the river the men Avere 
standing in a swamp up to mid-leg; but further in 
they had to work with the Avater up to their hips. 
In other places we have observed that the land 
is loAA’^er at a little distance from the river ; 
which had led to the supposition that artificial em- 
bankments had been raised; but though this may be 
the case where there are villages, it could not be so in 
this swampy and uninhabitable region, where solitude 
is so perfect that not a vestige of the operations of 
human industry Avas visible; w^e were therefore sur- 
prised at seeing a man paddling in a small canoe. 
He came on board, spoke very good English, and said 
he belonged to Akassa, at the mouth of the river. 
We proceeded through these narrow and winding 
reaches with feelings very different to those we expe- 
rienced in ascending the river. Then the elasticity of 
health and hope gave to the scenery a colouring of 
exceeding loveliness. The very silence and solitude 
