378 
TRAVELS IN AFKICA. 
Chap. LXIV. 
use oars. We were therefore reduced to the necessity 
of proceeding with poles, generally moving at the rate 
of two miles and a third an hour, but very often less 
Besides the byrgu, which constitutes the chief fodder 
for horse and cattle in all the districts along the Niger, 
and which even furnishes man with the sweet beve- 
rage called " menshu " and a sort of honey called 
"kartu," white water-lilies, or Nymphcea Lotus, were in 
great quantities ; and, between the latter, the water- 
plant " serranfdsa," which, being about ten inches long, 
floats on the water without having its roots fixed in 
the ground. But, after a voyage of about three miles, 
we emerged from the reedy water of Sarayamo into a 
more open branch, said to be that of Bambara, which 
here joined it. According to some of my informants, 
this water is identical with the Gerru, which I have 
mentioned on a former occasion. Here the eastern 
bank became quite free from reed-grass, while a herd 
of gazelles was to be seen near the shore ; the western 
bank, meanwhile, being adorned with numerous dum- 
palms, gawo, and tamarind trees, or, as they are 
called here, busu.su ; while, further on, the ascending 
ground was covered with " tunfafia" (Asclepias gigan- 
tea), " retem " (or broom), and " damankadda." But 
after a while, when rank grass again began to pre- 
vail, this arm also became greatly obstructed, being 
separated by the grass into several branches. The 
water being only from five to seven feet deep, we 
proceeded rather slowly onward, winding along in 
a northerly direction, at times diverging more to the 
