86 THE NIGER. 



they are again put up, and remain till the spring, for the safety and 

 convenience of the public. On the breaking up of the ice of the Neva, 

 at that season of the year, they are a second time taken asunder, and 

 only reinstated when the ice of the Ladoga h&a floated by, which 

 frequently takes four or six weeks in passing. 



THE NIGER. 



It is not exactly known in what part of the Kong Mountains 

 (Northern Africa), this river has its origin. It is here called, Joliba or 

 D'joliba, that is, " the great water," or "the great river." Where the 

 river descends from the mountain region it forms some cataracts, which 

 interrupt the navigation near Bammakoo, not far from the western 

 boundary of Bambarra. From this point it runs through the hilly 

 country and the plain, commonly between extremely low banks, towards 

 the east and north east. Numerous valleys, and some considerable 

 places, stand upon this stream. Below Sego the river divides into two 

 branches, which again unite at Isaca, a village situated at a con- 

 siderable distance below. Afterwards it falls into the eastern part of a 

 large lake called D'ebbee, or D'ebo, and issuing from it on the northern 

 side passes to Timbuctoo. In this tract the river is navigated by vessels 

 from 60 to 80 tons burden, and drawing 6 or 7 feet water. 



CATARACT OF LAUFFEN ON THE RHINE. 



Its greatest height is 75 feet; this is when, by the melting of the 

 snow in the mountains, the lake and river are unusually swollen. 

 At low water it is not more than 20 feet, but fifty is the general average. 

 However, it is not the height of the fall, but the immense body of water 

 broken into spray in the most picturesque manner over rocks, that 

 constitute the great beauty of the cataract. It cannot bear the slightest 

 comparison with that at Terni, which tumbles from a height of 800 

 feet, and forms three splendid and separate falls, neither with that at 

 Staubach, in the valley of Lauterbrunn, which descends in a single leap 

 930 feet. The fall, however, is seen to the best advantage at 

 Neuhausen, but in order to view the magnificent rainbow formed by the 

 spray, the spectator must be on the spot before 9 o'clock in the morning. 



