t 
391 
CHAP. LXV. 
ARRIVAL AT KABARA. — ENTRANCE INTO TIMBUKTU. 
Thus the day broke which, after so many September 7th, 
months' exertion, was to carry me to 1853, 
the harbour of Timbuktu. We started at a tolerably 
early hour, crossing the broad sheet of the river, 
first in a north-easterly, then in an almost north- 
erly direction, till finding ourselves opposite the 
small hamlet Tasakal, mentioned by Caillie *, we 
began to keep along the windings of the northern 
bank which, from its low character, presented a very 
varying appearance, while a creek, separating from 
the trunk, entered the low ground. The river 
a month or two later in the season inundates the 
whole country to a great distance, but the magni- 
ficent stream, with the exception of a few fishing- 
boats, now seemed almost tenantless, the only objects 
which in the present reduced state of the country 
animated the scenery being a number of large boats 
lying at anchor in front of us near the shore of the 
village Kor6me. But the whole character of the 
river was of the highest interest to me, as it dis- 
* Caillie's Journey to Timbuktu, vol. ii. p. 30. 
c c 4 
