286 The Yellala of the Congo. 
upon the stony ledges. During the floods, how¬ 
ever, this cheval-de-frise of boulders must all be 
under water, and probably impassable. Tuckey 
supposes that the inundation must produce a spec¬ 
tacle which justifies the high-flown description of 
the people. I should imagine the reverse to be 
the case ; and Dr. Livingstone justly remarked 1 
that, when the river was full, the Yellala rapids 
would become comparatively smooth, as he had 
found those of the Zambeze; and that there¬ 
fore a voyage pittoresque up the Congo should be 
made at that season. 
Before leaving the Yellala, I wandered along the 
right bank, and found a cliff, whose overhanging 
brow formed a fine cavern; it remarkably resem¬ 
bled the Martianez Fountain under the rock near 
the beautiful Puerto de Orotava. Here the fisher¬ 
men were disporting themselves, and cooking their 
game, which they willingly exchanged for beads. 
All were of the Silurus family, varying from a few 
inches to two feet. Fish-eagles sat upon the 
ledges overhanging the stream, and a flight of 
large cranes wheeled majestically in the upper 
air : according to the people, they are always to 
be seen at the Yellalas. 
The extent of a few hundred feet afforded a 
1 At the memorable Bath meeting of the British Associa¬ 
tion, Sept. 1864. 
