The water has diminished to a remarkable degree. Close to the first island, which is next to the left shore, we ran aground, and now we have been squatting for several hours near the second island, lying at the left shore. All “lissa” and “ela” cannot bring us from the spot, although the men, who are trying to raise the vessel in the water, have rested twice from exhaustion. The negroes, indeed, approach us and laugh, but they may wish, notwithstanding, to assist us; yet it appears advisable to keep them at a distance by firing, so that they may not remark the impotency of a vessel when stranded. I here count, from the deck, eight villages on the rising ground of the left shore; on the right, lying more level with the water-line, only two. The sun sinks behind Mount Korèk, and we hope to work ourselves off this time. This may be a difficult return voyage, for we have many shallow places to pass, and the water continues to fall. We are again afloat at sunrise. Behind the last-mentioned island we remark another little one; then we pass between two islands, for this voyage by the left shore is of a very complicated nature. We are scarcely off before the vessel immediately again sticks fast, and whirls round like a top. We proceed down the river close to the left shore, the negroes throwing stones at us; we know not whether they are in jest or in earnest. To be sure, we did not conduct ourselves in a very friendly manner, in our ascent by the _left_ shore, having killed there eleven people, and certainly wounded many more. These are the republicans, who would not recognise King Làkono; they laugh at the threats of the crew, until Feïzulla Capitan orders his pistols to be brought, so that he might intimidate them. We shoal again, work ourselves clear, but cannot reach the other vessels, where Làkono is said to be on board Selim Capitan’s. It seems that the good king will regain, by our presence, his authority, which has been considerably diminished by the withdrawal of the subsidy, or Tulba, over these people on the left shore, who are to give us, according to his promise, several cows. I cannot yet recover; but just at this moment, when the vessel has turned to the north, in the direction of my brother, I resign myself, with pleasure, to the idea of remaining with Làkono, learning the language, and collecting the necessary information, making myself useful in extending the knowledge of economical and technical sciences, and taking part in their military expeditions, wherein I should have formed a fearful _avant garde_ with my three servants, who were of the same inclination as myself, owing merely to our fire-arms;—and thus to become of the most vital importance to the next expedition, and to be able to return with it.