of nature retain their freedom of action and manners under the curious gaze of a civilized multitude?  We may depend upon it that we gather nothing but erroneous ideas from such a display.  If we would understand, truly, what our savage brethren are like, we must penetrate into the woods and the wilds where they are to be found; we must mingle with them in the exercise of their domestic avocations; we must see them as they are, in all their excusable degradation; and not invested with a fictitious dignity, or a theatrical simplicity; we must observe them, also, unawares, and see how they conduct themselves under the ordinary influences that beset them.

It was with great reluctance that I departed without making our presence known; but I could not refrain from leaving, at the place where we landed, the perplexing legacy of a few presents.  With what curious anxiety must these people have traced our footmarks, from which alone they could gather evidence that we belonged to a different race!

After making two miles in a south and nearly three in a west direction, with but few interruptions from windings, we opened a splendid sheet of water, trending South-West 1/2 South.  A mile back I had found, in a crooked reach, some native huts, built of sticks and neatly plastered over, with doors so narrow that none of our broad-shouldered fellows could enter.

At this place we saw the last whistling-ducks on our way up; further on, other species, to be hereafter mentioned, were found.  A large alligator also afforded us sport, although we did not secure him.

PICTURESQUE SCENERY.

The country was gradually becoming perceptibly higher, and the scenery extremely picturesque.  Tall palm-trees and bamboos were now to be seen among the rich foliage on the lower slope of the banks, that rose here to an elevation of fifty feet, and were much intersected with watercourses.  Onwards we hurried; the influence of the tide being scarcely felt, and the river preserving its South-West 1/2 South direction, with a width of two hundred yards, and a depth of two fathoms and a half.  At the end of three miles no change was perceptible, and we began to congratulate ourselves on, at last, having found a stream that would carry the boats far towards the point it was always the height of my ambition to reach, the centre of the continent.

HOPE REACH.

To this part of the Albert that had given rise to such expectations we gave the name of Hope Reach.  A little higher up we landed on the right bank to cook a meal and examine the country.  I shall here attempt, with the aid of Lieutenant Gore’s sketch,* to give the reader some idea of the beauty of the scene that now presented itself to our anxious gaze.

(Footnote.  See the view annexed.)