On quitting Boulibaba we had another desert without water to traverse: before we entered it, we thought it advisable to recruit ourselves from the fatigues which we had undergone and to sojourn some days with the Foulah herdsmen. A stock of water was procured: guides were hired, and we set out. After we had made half a day’s journey we arrived at Paillar, where we laid in a fresh store of water. It would not have been prudent to traverse Fouta-Toro, the inhabitants of which are thieves and fanatics: we avoided it by turning a little to the south. The precautions which we had taken to obviate the want of water cheered our minds. The country in general appeared to us to be fine: we beheld with admiration trees of great height, with umbrageous foliage, covered with birds of various kinds, which by their song enlivened these solitudes. It was no doubt the agreeable sensations produced by this scenery that caused us partly to forget our fatigues, though we travelled from sunrise till near ten o’clock at night, taking but a few moments’ rest during the day. On the fifth day, however, we were all exhausted: we suffered from thirst, and our water was nearly spent. European ingenuity came to our succour: peppermint-drops were distributed among us, and we experienced immediate relief. Our camels suffered severely for want of water and forage, having no other food than young branches of trees, cut off here and there. At length we reached a hamlet where the negroes readily brought us some calebashes of water, but they were not prodigal of it, and this was prudent, considering the number of men and animals to be supplied: for my part, I received no more than about a large glassful. But no sooner did we begin to drink than swarms of bees settled upon the vessels containing the water, and even upon our lips, disputing it with us; and to this horrid punishment, these grievous pangs, we had been several times exposed during the journey. I have frequently seen the water-skins covered with bees, which we had no means of driving away but by burning green wood, the smoke of which forced them to quit.