Up the Congo River . 
85 
abounded in all sorts of provisions, was well 
peopled, consisted of a plain raised eight fathoms 
above water, and was divided from the kingdom of 
Congo by a river, over which there was a bridge. 
After a pleasant breezy night upon the brown 
waters, on September 1st we hove anchor betimes 
and made for Scotchmans Head, a conspicuous 
mangrove bluff forming a fine landmark on the 
left bank. The charts have lately shifted it some 
two miles west of its old position. Six or seven 
miles beyond it rise the blue uplands of the “ Earl¬ 
dom of Sonho.” On our right, in mid-stream, lay 
a “ crocodile bank,” a newly fixed grass islet, a 
few square feet of green and gold, which the floods 
will presently cover or carry away. To the left, 
above the easternmost “Mombang” and the net¬ 
work of islands behind it, opens the gape of the 
Malela River, a short cut to French Point, found 
useful when a dangerous tide-rip is caused by the 
strong, sea-breeze meeting the violent current of 
the Thalweg. Above it lies a curious formation 
like concentric rings of trees inclosing grass : it is 
visible only from the north-east. Several slave 
factories now appear on either shore, single-storied 
huts of wood and thatch, in holes cut out of the 
densest bush, an impenetrable forest whose sloppy 
soil and miry puddles seem never to dry. The 
tenements serve as videttes and outposts, enabling 
cargoes to ship without the difficulties of passing 
