/ 
28 TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LIII. 
was only enlivened by one solitary spoonbill (or, as 
it is here called, beja or kedebbu-biinibe), who, like a 
king of the water, was proudly swimming up and 
down, looking around for prey. 
The following day we crossed the river ourselves. 
I had had some difficulty in concluding the bargain, 
the inhabitants, who belong to the Tebu-Zenghi *, 
making at first rather exorbitant demands f, till I 
satisfied them with a dollar ; and we ourselves, 
camels, horses, and luggage, crossed without an ac- 
cident, each camel being drawn by a man, mounted 
on a pair of calabashes, while another man mounted 
the animal close to its tail. The scenery, although 
destitute of grand features, was highly interesting, 
and has been represented as correctly as possible 
in the plate opposite. The river proved to be fifteen 
feet deep in the channel, and about 120 yards broad ; 
but there was a still smaller creek behind, about five 
feet deep. 
At length we were again in motion ; but our dif- 
ficulties now commenced, the path being extremely 
winding, deeply hollowed out, and full of water, and 
leading through the thickest part of the forest — and 
I had to lament the loss of several bottles of the most 
valuable medicine, a couple of boxes being thrown 
* I do not know exactly whether the ford has been called after 
this tribe ; but the name Zenghiri also occurs in other localities. 
"j" These people wanted in general nothing but cloves. I how- 
ever succeeded in buying a sheep from them for eight gabaga, at 
the rate of eight dra each. 
