Up the Congo to Banza Nokki . 131 
arch, and extending some 2,000 to 3,000 feet 
above the summits. At this season it is a late 
riser, often appearing about 3 p.m., and sometimes 
its strength is not exhausted before midnight. 
The brown water, grass-sheeted at the sides, con¬ 
ceals the bright yellow sand of the bed ; when 
placed in a tumbler it looks clear and colourless, 
and the taste is perfectly sweet—brackishness 
does not extend far above Porto da Lenha. Yet 
at Boma the residents prefer a spring near the 
factories, and attribute dysentery to the use of 
river-water. According to Mr. George Maxwell, 
the supply of the lower bed has the quality of rot¬ 
ting cables, and the same peculiarity was attributed 
to the Tanganyika. 
Of late years no ship has ventured above Boma, 
and boats have ascended with some difficulty, 
owing to the “ buffing stream.” Yet there is no 
reason why the waters should not be navigated, 
as proposed in 1816, by small steamers of good 
power, and the strong sea-breeze would greatly 
facilitate the passage. In older and more enter¬ 
prising days merchant-schooners were run high 
up the Zaire. The master of a vessel stated to 
Tuckey that he “had been several voyages up to 
the distance of 140 miles from the mouth ” without 
finding any difficulty. 
Our course passed by Banza Chisalla where, as we 
had paid double, there was a vain attempt to make 
