188 
Up the Gaboon River. 
for burning half-dried wood—a craft of fourteen 
tons, costing perhaps £i/\. per ton, would be ample 
in point of size, and would save not a little money 
to the trader. I was at last fortunate in securing 
the “ Eliza,” belonging to Messrs. Hatton and 
Cookson. She was a fore-and-aft schooner of 
twenty tons, measuring 42 feet 6 inches over all 
and put up at Bonny Town by Captain Birkett. 
She had two masts, and oars in case of calms; 
her crew was of six hands, including one Fernando, 
a Congoese, who could actually box the compass. 
No outfit was this time necessary, beyond a letter 
to Mr. Tippet, who had charge of the highest 
establishments up stream. His business consisted 
chiefly of importing arms, ammunition, and beads of 
different sorts, especially the red porcelain, locally 
called Loangos. 
On April 10, a little before noon, I set out, de¬ 
spite thunder and lightning, rain, sun, torrential 
showers, and the vehemently expressed distaste of 
my crew. The view of the right bank was no 
longer from afar; it differs in shape and material 
from the southern, but the distinction appears to 
me superficial, not extending to the interiors. Off 
Konig Island we found nine fathoms, of water, and 
wanted them during a bad storm from the south¬ 
east ; it prevented my landing and inspecting the 
old Dutch guns, which Bowdich says are remains 
of the Portuguese. Both this and Parrot Island, 
