Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/215

Rh still continued hilly and well wooded. At eleven we were opposite a town, which, from the description that had been given of it, we supposed to be Attà. It was situated close to the water's edge, in an elevated situation, and on a fine green sward, and its appearance was highly beautiful. The town appeared clean, of great extent, and surrounded with fine trees and shrubs. A few canoes were lying at the foot of the town; but we escaped observation, and passed on. Afterwards, the margin of the river became more thickly wooded than before; and, for upwards of thirty miles, not a town or a village, or even a single hut, could any where be seen. The whole of this distance our canoe passed smoothly along the river: everything was silent and solitary; no sound could be distinguished, save our own voices and the splashing of the paddles, with their echoes. The song of birds was not heard, nor could any animal whatever be seen; the banks seemed to be entirely deserted, and the magnificent Quorra to be slumbering in its own grandeur.

'At noon to-day we passed the end of the high hills which had commenced above Bocqua. They were also at some distance from the banks of the river, and changed their direction to the S.S.E. The course of the river this day was nearly S.W., and the breadth varied from three to five miles.

Oct. 27.—At Abbazacca, about forty-five miles below the junction of the Tshadda with the Quorra, and the first town to the southward of the mountains, on the left bank, we saw an English bar of iron; and, for the first simetime [sic] since leaving Jenna, in Yarriba, we beheld the graceful cocoa-nut tree, and heard the mellow whistling of grey parrots. The chief wished to know from whence we had come; and having told him we came from Yáoori, a great city on the banks of the river, he expressed surprise, never before having heard of the name. The banks between Attà and this place are low, and in some parts inundated. No towns or villages are to be seen on them for many miles, particularly on the western bank. Below Abbazacca, villages are seen every three or four miles on the eastern bank, but little cultivation. At Damuggoo, the natives have European muskets of English manufacture: the king had six small swivels. The natives are expert in the use of fire-arms, and shoot buffaloes, which, however, are not very numerous. The Quorra fell two feet in as many days, but was still overflowing the town. Here we saw a man dressed in a soldlet's jacket, and others partially clothed in European apparel, all of whom have picked up a smattering of English from the Liverpool palm-oil vessels in the Bonney river. Bonney is said to be four or five days' journey from hence.

Oct. 30.—A great part of the population of Damuggoo left the town this morning for the Bocqua market: they take thither