Up the Congo to Banza Nokki. 135 
chart, Hall Island being the easternmost, and the 
northern passage between the three horns and 
the main is called by us “ Gombac Creek.” Half 
an hour beyond was a mass of villages, in a large, 
grassy low-land of the left bank, girt by mountains 
higher than those down stream. Some outlying 
huts were called by the interpreters Suko Nkongo, 
and formed the “ beach town ” of large interior 
settlements, Suko do Wembo and Mbinda. Others 
said Lasugu or Sugo Nkongo, the Sooka Congo 
of the charts: others again for “Mbinda” pro¬ 
posed “ Mpeso Birimba.” This is probably the 
place where according to the mail of November, 
’73, diamonds were found, and having been sub¬ 
mitted to “ Dr. Basham (Dr. Bastian before men¬ 
tioned), Director of the Museum of Berlin,” were 
pronounced to be of very fine water. It is possible 
that the sandstone may afford precious stones like 
the itacolumite of the Brazil (“ Highlands of the 
Brazil,” i. 380), but the whole affair proved a hoax. 
In mid-stream rose No. 2, “ One-Tree Island,” 
Zunga chya Nlemba or Shika chya Nzondo ; 
in Tuckey it is called Boola Beca or Blemba (the 
husband) Rock; the old ficus dying at the head, 
was based upon a pedestal which appeared groin¬ 
shaped from the east. Here the mirage was very 
distinct, and the canoes seemed to fly, not to swim— 
“ As when far out of sea a fleet descried, 
Hangs in the clouds.” 
