90 SAFELY TIIROUGHE.

toe. The fellow was tall, being six fect some
inches. J mounted upon his shoulders with my
gun in my hand, a few birds, and a bundle of
plants. He was soon in the water up to his neck;
and J was not without some apprehension when |
saw myself descend gradually up to my waist ;
however, I resigned myself to his skilful guidance,
and I let him doas h> pleased. He waded through
the middle of the marigot with amazing resolution,
without being the least daunted, though he was
obliged to swallow three large gulps of water,
which for some time took away his breath. As
soon as I escaped this danger, I espied a plant of a
very extraordinary beauty floating on the water,
with soft silver leaves. That moment I forgot
every other object, and though my Benbara was
still up to his chin in water, I ventured to gather
the charming plant. Thus I escaped luckily out
of the marigot of Oua Soul, which at that time was
very nearly 120 fathoms broad—that is, about twice
the breadth of the Seine at Port-Royal—and I
overtook the vessel before noon.”

A pleasing night picture follows: “The negroes
of this neighbourhood are obliged to lie on very
high beds in order to escape from the mosquitoes,
of which there are great swarms, especially in this
month. These beds are from five to six fect
square, and consist of a double texture of sticks