My servant Fadl informs me from the mast, that he sees land, indeed, behind us; but at the side, and before us, nothing but gesch (reeds or grass). The great mass of water of the white stream so suddenly making its appearance, is explained partly from this long lake (the breadth of which cannot be determined from the ship without an air-balloon), forming a great basin. This basin (after the reed or marsh-ground of its flat edge being scarcely superficially dried, is in some degree saturated) collects immediately the water streaming from above, below, and the sides, until, becoming a mass, it surmounts its natural flood-gates, as these machadas may be called, like a breach of a dike. At four o’clock the cry is “El hauer galàss” (the wind has ceased), and we halt on the right shore of the reeds, where another dreadful night of gnats awaits us. Where it has been possible, and I have thought of it at the moment, I have planted date-stones, or thrown them, when passing by, on the inundated shores; for this beneficial tree never presents itself, and may, indeed, never thrive here again. _15th December._—We remained yesterday evening actually till after sunset in the reeds, and our vessel was full of musquitos. I mentioned previously these insects as being of two distinct species, and not as male and female. I am confirmed in my former opinion; for in the nights of the 12th and 13th December the smaller kind was so prevalent, that I could only find, after much searching, some bodies of the pearled long-legs on my bed. We therefore suffered again from the usual plague from evening to this morning at eight o’clock, although we had left the reeds. The river had here three fathoms and a quarter in depth, and a rapidity of about one mile and a quarter. We waited this morning for the kaiass, left behind as usual, when it was rowed, owing to its large, clumsy oars; and being a broad-built ship of burden, it had cost us already a pretty time during our voyage. It was not till half-past eight o’clock that a slight east wind set in, and we move slowly on towards S.W., again to W.S.W. after a quarter of an hour, and at nine o’clock to the S., and make two miles.