It is scarcely four o’clock when Fadl tells me from the mast that he sees a high mountain W.S.W. I remark its peak also immediately from the deck. To judge by the outline of it, it appears to be the Nerkanjin, but I do not wish it, as I would rather see another beautiful mountain country. Whilst we are sailing S.S.W. a gohr issues on the right from our mysterious river to W.N.W., and makes, therefore, the land at our right, a large island. What a happy combination of natural canals, and what nations may be still drinking of this water! A quarter after four o’clock, S.E. by S. Right and left a village on the shores. There are low tokuls with clay walls and square doors: the roof consists of leaves of the dome palm. Their large baskets are also composed of the hearts of these trees. The village of the right shore has many open tokuls or cattle-stalls, and enters tolerably far into the land, where we observe several herds. Half-past four o’clock. From S.E., with the broad beautiful bend of the river to S. by E. At five o’clock we stop opposite a large village on the right shore, where many natives are collected. The thermometer, 20°, 28°, 30°, and 27° Reaumur. _10th February._—At the first sight of the morning dawn we heard the great wooden kettle-drum (nogàra) sounding opposite in the large village of Karborah, which instrument is beaten for amusement, as well as for driving out the cattle. The watch-houses of the cow-herdsmen stand in the centre of the enormous herd; the employment of these men may be taken in turns like that of the night-watch. The tribe of the Karboràhs, who, as I have said before, are a branch of the Liènns, and independent, is here likewise not entirely stippled on the forehead. Yesterday evening we traded with them, and I received many a pretty thing, principally of iron; for they dwell nearer the mountains, the source of iron wealth. Thus, I purchased ivory bracelets, with black streaks; bows of bamboo, with iron ends, and narrow bands of iron; ropes of bark, which, according to Mariàn, are from the muddus-tree, and the strongest; some hair-lines, said to be made from giraffes; thin iron chains, which they sling round their ribs; but I could neither see a kettle-drum nor an antelope-horn for blowing. It was with much trouble that I got a surprisingly beautiful little he-goat, with a head like a gazelle, although the other little goats have compressed noses. Selim Capitan was looked upon here also as our matta; and they wanted to take by force a large elephant’s tooth, which I had already bought, to present to him, not returning, however, my thick glass beads. Several Nile buffaloes are found in the river—a sign in the present season of the year, that agriculture is diligently attended to in the vicinity.