We at length resumed our southerly direction, but were not allowed for any length of time to follow a straight course across this swampy ground, being recalled by some of our companions, who conducted us to a sandy promontory, with projecting granite blocks and dúm bushes, where the Sheikh had made a halt, opposite an encampment of the Songhay, in the “Ammas,” as the Imóshagh call the bottom of the valley. Although I was sorry to break off our march so soon, the view from this place was highly interesting, as it afforded a distant prospect over the river, if I may so call a broad swampy valley, hemmed in by steep banks, enclosing in the midst an abundance of rank grass, and scarcely affording at the present time the aspect of an open sheet of water, smaller and larger creeks, and more extensive ponds being formed in every direction. But the most curious sight was that presented by the river a little higher up, where corresponding to the deep gulf which we had turned round in the morning, there appeared on the opposite side another swampy gulf, the whole width of the valley at that place being scarcely less than eight miles. It is evident, from all that I saw here, that the navigable branch of the river runs on the side of Áribínda, that is to say, the southern bank. As it had been decided that we should remain here during the night, we had already pitched our tents, and made ourselves comfortable, when our companions having been informed that in a neighbouring encampment there was a better prospect of a good supper, suddenly started off, although a thunderstorm gathered with threatening appearance over our heads; but fortunately the encampment was not far distant, and the storm passed by without rain. This encampment belonged to the Kél e’ Súk, and was very considerable. The next morning several very decent-looking men were introduced to me, by my officious friend, Áhmed el Wadáwi, when they assured me that the whole road to Say was safe. All these people, who possess a small degree of learning, and pride themselves in writing a few phrases from the Kurán, were extremely anxious to obtain some scraps of paper, and I was glad to be still enabled, besides small strips of black cotton cloth and needles, to give away some trifling presents of this kind. When we left the encampment, which was at about 800 yards from the outer bank of the river, the country assumed quite a different aspect, and we had soon to descend a rough rocky passage of blackened sandstone, interspersed with granite blocks, in a great state of decomposition, and passing several encampments of Tawárek, of the tribe of the Ímedídderen, we entered a plain richly wooded with talha, hájilíj, retem, fernán, and the poisonous euphorbia, which, as is generally the case, grew in the shade of the talha trees.