breadth, is admirably adapted for the
growth of sugar-cane; and were it in the hands of our friends at the
Cape, would supply all Europe with sugar. The remarkably few people seen
appear to be tolerably well fed, but there was a dearth of clothing among
them; all were blacks, and nearly all Portuguese "colonos" or serfs. They
manifested no fear of white men, and stood in groups on the bank gazing
in astonishment at the steamers, especially at the "Pearl," which
accompanied us thus far up the river. One old man who came on board
remarked that never before had he seen any vessel so large as the
"Pearl," it was like a village, "Was it made out of one tree?" All were
eager traders, and soon came off to the ship in light swift canoes with
every kind of fruit and food they possessed; a few brought honey and
beeswax, which are found in quantities in the mangrove forests. As the
ships steamed off, many anxious sellers ran along the bank, holding up
fowls, baskets of rice and meal, and shouting "Malonda, Malonda," "things
for sale," while others followed in canoes, which they sent through the
water with great velocity by means of short broad-bladed paddles.

Finding the "Pearl's" draught too great for that part of the river near
the island of Simbo, where the branch called the Doto is given off to the
Kongone on the right bank, and another named Chinde departs to the secret
canal already mentioned on the left, the goods belonging to the
expedition were taken out of her, and placed on one of the grassy islands
about forty miles from the bar. The "Pearl" then left us, and we had to
part with our good friends Duncan and Skead; the former for Ceylon, the
latter to return to his duties as Government Surveyor at the Cape.

Of those who eventually did the work of the expedition the majority took
a sober common-sense view of the enterprise in which we were engaged.
Some remained on Expedition Island from the 18th June until the 13th
August, while the launch and pinnace were carrying the goods up to
Shupanga and Senna. The country was in a state of war, our luggage was
in danger, and several of our party were exposed to disease from
inactivity in the malaria of the delta. Here some had their first
introduction to African life, and African fever. Those alone were safe
who were actively employed with the vessels, and of course, remembering
the perilous position of their fellows, they strained every nerve to
finish the work and ta