Chap. XXXIX. ARRIVAL OF MR. OVERWEG. 
37 
rantine line, whilst, during the other portion of the 
year, small caravans, at least, go to and fro at their 
pleasure. 
The only boat upon the water was a m&kara, formed 
by several yokes of calabashes, and of that frail cha- 
racter described by me in another part of this work, 
in which we ourselves were to cross the river. Un- 
fortunately it was not possible to enjoy quietly and 
decently the beautiful shade of the splendid tama- 
rind-trees, on account of the number of waterfowl 
and pelicans which reside in their branches. 
On removing some of my luggage, I found that 
the white ants were busy destroying, as fast as pos- 
sible, my leather bags and mats ; and we were ac- 
cordingly obliged to remove every thing, and to place 
layers of branches underneath. There are great num- 
bers of ants hereabouts ; but only moderately sized 
ant-hills are seen ; nothing like the grand structures 
which I afterwards saw in Bagirmi. 
About two hours after midnight Mr. Thursday 
Overweg arrived, accompanied by one of Septisth. 
the most conspicuous of the Welad Sliman, of the 
name of Khalef- Allah, announcing the approach of our 
little troop ; which did not, however, make its appear- 
ance until ten o'clock in the morning, when the most 
courageous and best mounted of them galloped up to 
my tent in pairs, brandishing their guns. There were 
twenty-five horsemen, about a dozen men mounted 
upon camels, and seven or eight on foot, besides 
children. They dismounted a little to the east of our 
D 3 
