SURPRISE OF THE NATIVES. 
251 
or twenty feet. The stream is, hi fact, divided by the 
Wuri Island, which is also the commencement of the 
country of that name, in which a different dialect is 
spoken from that used by the Oameroons or Dualla 
nation lower down. The Wuri country is celebrated 
for its yams, which are taken down the river in large 
quantities for sale. 
As the evening was now fast drawing on, and the 
current very strong against us, wo made the best of 
our way to reach the town belonging to a friend of 
Mr. Lilly, where we proposed to sleep. The news of 
our approach had been spread by King Bell and his 
men, who fi-equently stopped at the farms and villages 
on their way up ; so that the banks were thronged 
with natives, who saluted us as we passed, with deafen- 
ing shouts, screams, and laughter; the women, of 
course, evincing the greatest surprise and delight at 
the novelty of our appearance. With the exception 
of some little eminences of a friable sort of sandstone, 
the country seemed here to bo level. When the low 
lands are overflov'ed the inhabitants are obliged to 
retreat to these higher grounds, which they reach in 
their canoes, paddling, in fact, over their former plan- 
tations. They prepare for this periodical emergency 
by laying in a stock of smoked fish, and yams cut in 
slices and baked, which form a convenient provision 
for migi-ation. Thus secured against absolute want, 
they live in temporary huts until the waters subside, 
and allow them to return to their former residences, 
