Return to the Congo Mouth. 305 
cactus, palmyra, bombax, and fern. An admi¬ 
rable mirage lifted the canoes which preceded us 
clean out of the river, and looking down stream 
the water seemed to flow up hill, as it does, accord¬ 
ing to Mrs.-, in the aqueducts of Madeira. 
Although the tide began to flow up shortly after 
10 a.m., and the sea-breeze was unusually strong, 
we covered the forty-five miles in 7 hrs. 15 m. 
Amidst shouts of “ Izakula Mundeh,”—white men 
cum agen !—we landed at Boma, and found that 
the hospitable Sr. Pereira had waited dinner, to 
which I applied myself most “ wishedly.” 
Once more in civilization, we prepared for a 
march upon S. Salvador. 
No white man at Boma knew anything of the 
road to the old Capital; but, as a letter had been 
received from it after three days’ march, there was 
evidently no difficulty. I wrote to Porto da Lenha 
for an extra supply of “ black money,” which was 
punctually forwarded; both Chico Furano and 
Nihama Chamvu volunteered for the journey, and 
preparations were progressing as rapidly as could 
be expected in these slow-moving lands, when they 
were brought to the abruptest conclusion. On the 
24th Sept, a letter from the Commodore of the 
station informed me that I had been appointed 
H. M.’s Commissioner to Dahome, and that, unless 
I could at once sail in H.M.S. “Griffon,” no 
other opportunity would be found for some time. 
11. 
x 
