ther are they disheartened by seeing their companions slain. They have
no ships, nor had they ever seen any before the Portuguese came upon
their coast; but those who dwell upon the river Senegal, and some who are
settled on the sea coast, have _zoppolies_ or canoes, called _almadias_
by the Portuguese, which are hollowed out of a single piece of wood, the
largest of which will carry three or four men. They use these almadias
for catching fish, and for transporting themselves up or down the river.
The negroes of this country are the most expert swimmers in the world, as
I can vouch from frequent experience of their dexterity.

[1] Cada Mosto is incorrect in the chronology of this discovery, and even
de Barros is not quite decided as to the first discovery of the
Senegal. He says that Denis Fernandez _passed_ it in 1446, and that
Lancerot _discovered_ it in 1447; the latter of which is eight years
before the visit of Cada Mosto.--Clarke.

[2] The northern mouth of the Senegal is in lat. 16 deg. 40'. The southern in
15 deg. 45', both N. so that the distance between them, or the length of
the island mentioned in the text, is about sixty-two miles.--E.

[3] This fancy of all the great rivers in Africa being branches from one
principal stream, is now known to be entirely erroneous.--Astl.

[4] Although the first kingdom, or kingdoms of the Negroes lies on the
Senegal, Senega, or Sanaghas, and others along the Gambia, yet there
were not properly any kingdoms of these names. On the north, indeed,
of the Sanagha, lay the country of the Sanhaga, Azanaghi, or Azanhaji,
from whence the river seems to have taken its name; but was divided
among various tribes of people, and not under any one sovereign.
Geographers, however, have since continued to propagate this first
error.--Astl.

The Jalofs and Foulahs inhabit the country between the Senegal and
Gambia, on which latter river the Feloops reside. What is meant by
_Tukhusor_ in the text does not appear, unless it may obscurely
indicate Karta.--E.

SECTION V.

_Continuation of the Voyage to the country of a King named Budomel, with
some account of his Territory, and the Manners of his People_.

Having passed the river Senegal, we sailed about 800 miles farther south
along the coast, which was all low land without mountains, till we came
to the territory or kingdom of Budomel[1]. As some Portuguese, w