a shallow pond of water, in a trough-like cavity of the grassy ground, we decided on encamping, for it was with great difficulty that I was able to drag on my companions more than fifteen miles a day at the utmost. However, we had scarcely pitched our tents, when we became aware that our camping-ground close beyond the belt of trees with which it was girt, was skirted by a small rivulet, which although full of rocks was yet so deep, that it afforded sufficient room for crocodiles or alligators, and was not fordable here. It was a pity that we had not a guide with us who might have given us some clear information respecting the features of the country, for the conjecture of my companions[43], who fancied that this rivulet took its rise to the south of Hómbori, where it was called Ágelé was quite absurd if it be correct that the Galíndu which we had crossed the preceding day was really the lower course of the river near Áribínda; but it is very difficult to say how these courses correspond, and nothing is more likely than that the same watercourse may join the Niger by several openings. As it was, we had a long dispute as to the manner in which we should cross this water, and the following morning we had to take a tedious roundabout way to get over it. After a march of two miles from our starting point we reached a crossway. We followed the advice of the Wádáwi, who, having taken the lead at the moment, chose the path to our left, though that on the right crosses the rivulet at this spot; but in the end it was perhaps as well that we did so, as otherwise we should scarcely have been able to ford it. We therefore continued our march after my companions had finished their prayers, which, as we always set out at an early hour, they used to say on the road. The open pasture grounds were here broken by large boulders of granite, while the rivulet, girt by fine large trees, approached on our right, or at least one branch of it, the river dividing near its mouth into a delta of a great many smaller branches. We here changed our direction, keeping parallel along the shore of the great river, where on a rocky island was situated the village of Ayóru or Airu, from whence a troop of about twenty people were just proceeding towards their field labours. Most of them were tall, well made men, almost naked, with the exception of a white cap and a clean white cotton wrapper. Two or three of them wore blue tobes. Their weapons consisted of a bow and arrows, or a spear, and their agricultural implements were limited to a long handled hoe of a peculiar shape, such as is called jerrán by the Arabs, and kámbul by the Songhay. But besides a weapon and implement, each of them bore a small bowl, containing a large round clod of pounded millet, and a little curdled milk, which they hospitably offered to us, although it constituted their whole supply of food for the day. We rewarded them with a few needles and by repeating the fat-há