Return to the Congo Mouth. 307 
put into the northern bank, where our friend, the 
palhabote EspSrance , passed under a tricolour, 
and manned only by Laptots. As we waved a 
signal to them, they replied with a straggling fire 
of musketry to what they considered a treacherous 
move on the part of plundering Musurungus. At 
sunset a lump of scirrhus before the sun was so 
dense that its dark shadow formed a brush like 
the trabes of a comet. This soon melted away, 
and a beautifully diaphanous night tempted us to 
move towards the dreary funnel of darkness 
which opened ahead. The clouds began to pour ; 
again the stream became rough, and the swift 
upper or surface current meeting the cross-tide 
below represented an agitated “ Race of Portland.” 
Wet and weary we reached Banana Point on 
Sunday, Sept. 27, 1863, fortunately not too “late 
for the mail,” and, next day, I was on board 
“ Griffon,” ready for Dahome and for my late host 
King Gelele. 
