After a rainy night, we left this rich and populous district, in order to pursue our journey to Say. Keeping close along the bank of the river, our attention was soon attracted by some young palm bushes covered with fruit, which caused a long dispute between my people and the followers of the Sheikh, part of them asserting that it was the oil-palm, while others affirmed it to be the date-palm. This latter opinion appeared the correct one, considering that the oil-palm does not grow at any distance from salt water; for on our whole journey through the interior, we had only met with it in the valley of Fógha, which contains a great quantity of salt. This opinion was confirmed by further observation, when we discovered the male and female seeds, which wanted nothing but the civilising influence of man in order to produce good fruit. Without an artificial alliance of the male and female, the fruit remains in a wild and embryo-like state. Thus keeping along the shore, we passed several islands in the river, first Juntu, and at a short distance from it Bisse-gúngu; further on Kóma and Bossa, adorned with a fine growth of trees; and about five miles from our halting-place, after we had passed a small hilly chain called Mári, the island of Néni, which is likewise richly timbered. This island is remarkable on account of its being the birthplace of the great Songhay conqueror, Háj Mohammed Áskíá, or Síkkíá. Our march was the more interesting, as we were so fortunate as to be accompanied by the fáki Mohammed Sáleh, whose acquaintance I had made during my stay near Garú. He was very communicative and social, and I regretted that I was not allowed to traverse in his company the whole territory of the independent Songhay in various directions. He dwelt particularly on the distinguishing character of Dargol, the principal seat of the free Songhay, especially the Koi-zé, with the remains of the royal family of the Síkkíá, of which several princes were still living. My companion also informed me of the attack which the natives of Gurma under the command of their chief Wentínne, in conjunction with the Songhay, had made a short time previously upon the emír of the Toróde, or Tórobe. He likewise gave me an account of the extensive dominion of Dáúd, the grandfather of ʿOmár, the present chief of the Erátafán, who succeeded in founding a large kingdom, when he was murdered by a rival nephew, and all his power was annihilated.