38 
RIVER VEGETATION , 
[chap. X. 
tliis being the cold season, the winged plagues are 
absent. The country beyond the inundated mimosa 
woods is of the usual sandy character, with thorny 
Kittur bush. Saw a few antelopes. Stopped at a 
horrible swamp to collect firewood. Anchored at 
night in a dead calm, well out in the river to escape 
malaria from the swamped forest. This is a precaution 
that the men would neglect, and my expedition might 
suffer in consequence. Christmas Day ! 
2 6th Dec .—Good breeze at about 3 a.m. ; made sail. 
I have never seen a fog in this part of Africa ; although 
the neighbourhood of the river is swampy, the air is 
clear both in the morning and evening. Floating- 
islands of water-plants are now very numerous. There 
is a plant something like a small cabbage (Pislia 
Stratiotes , L.), which floats alone until it meets a com¬ 
rade ; these unite, and recruiting as they float onward, 
they eventually form masses of many thousands, entan¬ 
gling with other species of water-plants and floating- 
wood, until they at length form floating islands. Saw 
many hippopotami; the small hill in the Dinka country 
seen from the mast-head at 9.15 a.m. ; breeze light, but 
steady; the banks of the river, high grass and mimosas, 
but not forest as formerly. Water-lilies in full bloom, 
white, but larger than the European variety. In the 
evening the crew and soldiers singing and drumming. 
