The river goes from here E.N.E. For some days past, glass beads have been exchanged for ivory. I also, for the first time in my life, am now turning to mercantile speculations, and pleasing myself with the idea of the astonishment I shall cause to my brother. Five o’clock, E.N.E.; the north wind is good; five miles, whilst we only made three shortly after our setting out. At sun-set S.E. by E.; a smell of fire, and the smoke of a village, on the right side, came to meet us. We are soon convinced, to our horror, that the reed-straw near us is in full blaze, and it is fortunate that the river here does not make any curves, or we might be directly exposed to the flames. On the right is a large village, with peculiar tokuls, enveloped in black clouds of smoke, over which the sun dips as if into a dark sea of blood. If we consider how such a reed conflagration extends with incredible swiftness in a violent wind, we shall see that the fire is not alone to be viewed as a purifying element of the marshy region, but also as the greatest means of destruction of the numerous forms of reptiles, and indescribable numbers of insects prevalent here. I have already convinced myself of this by the remains of consumed snakes. The river winds at the corner occupied by the long village, to S.W. Two calves swam in the water, not being able to scramble up the precipitous shore again. The men had no sooner asked me whether they should take them, than I, as the momentary wokil of Feïzulla Capitan, gave them permission, in order to return them at a subsequent period when we came again to the natives; for there was so much meat on board, that it disgusted even part of the crew. The reïs tried with all his might to throw overboard the beasts just saved, because they were not to be slaughtered, and he wanted to have the hides; this, however, I very soon managed to prevent.