At ten at night we stopped at Sankhaguibila. At this place the river takes a turn to the east, and then to the north. The inhabitants hold a little market, to which they bring milk and dried fish, which the negroes of the canoes purchase, and pay for in cowries, the only money current on the banks of the river as far as Timbuctoo. People came from all sides with earthen pots, calabashes, mats, and various other kinds of merchandise. This village probably contains about four hundred inhabitants, consisting of Foulahs, Mandingoes, and Bambaras from Jenné. At three o’clock on the morning of the 26th, we quitted the village of Sankhaguibila, the huts of which are all of straw, and badly constructed. We advanced slowly to the west. At sun-rise we found the river take a turn to the north. Its banks are adorned with a few dwarf shrubs. At four in the afternoon we passed Diébé, situated on the right and before which there is a sand-bank. In general, all these villages resemble each other. The population varies but little. We stopped here nearly two hours to escape the north wind, which was blowing furiously, and which, in all probability, would have destroyed our frail bark. When it ceased we continued our course, and at nine o’clock we lay to at Isaca, where we passed that night and the following day. During the night the wind changed to the north-east, and there was a good breeze stirring. The banks of the river are so low that the least wind prevents the canoes making way; for when the water is ever so little agitated the waves dash over their sides and sink them; an accident of frequent occurrence. The population of Isaca may amount to seven or eight hundred, all Foulahs. Their houses, which are built of bricks baked in the sun, resemble those of the Bambaras. The inhabitants brought us fresh fish, sour milk, and butter, which we purchased. The butter was rolled up into little balls of the size of crab-apples, for which we paid six cowries each. In this village I saw a great quantity of dried fish, an article in which the inhabitants traffic very considerably. They carry it to Jenné and other neighbouring markets. The great arm of the river which, as the negroes informed me, branches off from Sego, and forms an immense island, rejoins the river a quarter of a mile from Isaca. This arm, which comes from the west, is very broad, and seems to be navigable for large boats. It has not a rapid current; indeed, the water appears to be almost stagnant. The village is situated on the right bank of the river, and is inhabited by Foulahs, similar to those of Fouta-Dhialon. They are the subjects of Sego-Ahmadou, the capital of which al-Lamdou Lillahi, is a day’s journey eastward from Isaca. They rear flocks, which are their principal wealth, and cultivate rice in the plains, inundated by the overflow of the waters. They fish with nets made of cotton cord.