yards
broad. It had been seen by Mungo Park flowing eastward, and it was
therefore, till the Landers descended it, supposed that it might
possibly make its way into some vast lake in Central Africa. On the
flatter shore opposite, a large town lay spread out, the low ramparts
and huts of which were picturesquely overtopped by numbers of slender
dum-palms.

After waiting some time the boats he had sent for, which were about
forty feet in length and four to five in width, arrived. They were
formed by hollowing out two trunks of trees, which were sewn together in
the centre. His camels, horses, people, and luggage having crossed in
safety, he followed in the afternoon, intending to survey the course of
the river between the point where it has become well-known by the
labours of Mungo Park, Caillie, and the Landers.

The language spoken here, the Songhay, differs materially from that with
which he was acquainted, and he therefore was less able to converse with
the people than he had been before.

Quitting Say, he left the Niger behind him, or rather on his right-hand
side, proceeding north-west towards Timbuctoo. The country on this side
of the Niger is thickly inhabited, and he passed numerous towns and
villages on his way.

At the village of Namantugu he met an Arab from the west, called
Wallati, who undertook to escort him safely to the town of Timbuctoo.
He was a handsome fellow. His dress consisted of a long black gown,
with a black shawl wound round his head, and he moved along at a solemn
pace; he reminded the doctor of the servants of the Inquisition.

The inhabitants of this place were clothed in the purest white, even the
little children wearing round their heads turbans composed of strips of
white cotton.

They had now entered a region full of water, the soil presenting very
little inclination to afford it the means of flowing off.

He was detained some time in the populous town of Dore, and on the 21st
of July set out on the most dangerous stage of his journey to Timbuctoo.
Many large sheets of water had to be crossed, and occasionally swamps,
which greatly impeded their progress. It was the rainy season, and he
was thus at times unable to proceed.

As he had now to traverse the province of Dellah, which is ruled by a
governor subject to the fanatical chief of Mas-ena, who would never
allow a Christian to visit his territory, the doctor was obliged to
assume the character of an Arab.

At the to