The people on board our vessel purchased tamarinds, earthen pots, and untanned ox-hides used for packing. The inhabitants brought us milk, giraumons, and other articles. In this place I met two Moors from Adrar, owners of a very large canoe of eighty tons burden at least. They were going to Timbuctoo to dispose of the merchandise they had bought at Jenné. A small vessel of seven or eight tons, was employed to carry themselves and provisions for their use and it followed the large canoe at various distances; for the latter, encumbered with merchandise, advanced but slowly. After introducing themselves, they invited me to partake of their boiled rice and some milk, while supper was preparing. About seven in the evening they proceeded on their passage, but we stayed until the next day. Several of our men went to the village to make small purchases for a venture. Banan is independent of Ségo-Ahmadou: it is situated upon the right bank of the river, and extends very far to the east. The inhabitants are all Mahometans, and the slaves, who are very numerous, are employed in tilling the ground. The people build canoes, and make voyages to Jenné and Timbuctoo. They are very rich in herds of oxen, sheep and goats, and rear great quantities of poultry. They are very industrious, and manufacture cotton stuffs, which they sell to the people of the neighbouring towns and villages. The cotton tree, which they cultivate, flourishes exceedingly in this place. They also make cloth from the wool of sheep, for the purpose of traffic. I saw the inhabitants, who never go out unless armed with pikes, and bows and arrows. They have woolly hair and a very black complexion, and are in other respects like the Mandingoes, to which race indeed they belong, though they speak another language. About ten at night, we left the village of Cona, with a fine moon-light that would have favoured our progress, but the negroes thought proper to lie to at eleven o’clock. As soon as the vessels are anchored they betake themselves to sleep, without leaving any one to keep watch, for they are not accustomed to such duty when at anchor. On the 1st of April, at six in the morning, we made ready to start: a breeze was blowing, which however, about midnight so encreased in violence, that we were compelled to stop. Had we attempted to proceed, the canoe would infallibly have been destroyed; for during this gale it made more water than usual. The frequent halts which we were obliged to make were very annoying to me; for I was obliged to remain on board exposed to the heat of the sun. How pleased should I have been had the adjacent country been like the smiling shores of the Senegal! But here the immense monotonous plains on all sides fatigue the eye of the traveller.