TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 65 appeared good, and well fitted to produce all tropical grains, vegetables, kc, in perfection.

We left Jaroomy at six o'clock on the 26th, and travelled east over a gently ascending country, beautifully wooded, until half-past seven, when we came to a small town called Jonkaconda, inhabited by Bushreens, and very prettily situated on a little hill under the shade of some few large trees, somewhat resembling the horse chestnut, except that the trunk is covered with large sharp protuberances in the shape of thorns.

It produces a quantity of silky cotton, in pods of an oval shape, about five inches long and four in circumference 5 these burst when ripe, and contain each about half an ounce of this cotton. The natives do not make any use of it; they prefer the common cotton, from which they manufacture all their clothes. There the path turned a little to the south of east, and led us over a country similar to that already mentioned, with this difference, that the wood was rather closer.

At half after eight, we reached another small village (Lemaine), the chief of which, a goodlooking young man, was very civil, and made us a present of some palm wine, in return for which we gave him three bars in amber beads, &c. He paid us a visit at our bivouac under some shady trees. He was attended by about fifteen