The constitution of these people seems to
have a wonderful power of self-repair - and it could be no slight
privation which had cut off the many thousands that we saw dead
around us.
We regretted that, in consequence of Dr. Meller having now sole
medical charge, we could not have his company in our projected trip;
but he found employment in botany and natural history, after the
annual sickly season of March, April, and May was over; and his
constant presence was not so much required at the ship. Later in the
year, when he could be well spared, he went down the river to take up
an appointment he had been offered in Madagascar; but unfortunately
was so severely tried by illness while detained at the coast, that
for nearly two years he was not able to turn his abilities as a
naturalist to account by proceeding to that island. We have no doubt
but he will yet distinguish himself in that untrodden field.
On the 16th of June we started for the Upper Cataracts, with a mule-
cart, our road lying a distance of a mile west from the river. We
saw many of the deserted dwellings of the people who formerly came to
us; and were very much struck by the extent of land under
cultivation, though that, compared with the whole country, is very
small.
