Coffee And Tea Were Expended, But Scarcely Missed, As Our
Sailors Discovered A Pretty Good Substitute In Roasted Mapira.
Fresh
meat was obtained in abundance from our antelope preserves on the
large island made by a creek between the Kongone and East Luabo.
In this focus of decaying vegetation, nothing is so much to be
dreaded as inactivity. We had, therefore, to find what exercise and
amusement we could, when hunting was not required, in peering about
in the fetid swamps; to have gone mooning about, in listless
idleness, would have ensured fever in its worst form, and probably
with fatal results.
A curious little blenny-fish swarms in the numerous creeks which
intersect the mangrove topes. When alarmed, it hurries across the
surface of the water in a series of leaps. It may be considered
amphibious, as it lives as much out of the water as in it, and its
most busy time is during low water. Then it appears on the sand or
mud, near the little pools left by the retiring tide; it raises
itself on its pectoral fins into something of a standing attitude,
and with its large projecting eyes keeps a sharp look-out for the
light-coloured fly, on which it feeds. Should the fly alight at too
great a distance for even a second leap, the blenny moves slowly
towards it like a cat to its prey, or like a jumping spider; and, as
soon as it gets within two or three inches of the insect, by a sudden
spring contrives to pop its underset mouth directly over the unlucky
victim.
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