220 
TBAVELS m AFRICA. Chap. XLIY. 
120 or 130 yards broad, seemed to be of considerable 
depth, running along with a strong current, and ray 
old friend Abu Daud, one of the principal Shuwa 
chiefs, whom I encountered at the southern point of 
the sandbank, with a sad countenance, indicated the 
whole nature of this stream with the laconic and sig- 
nificant expression, "yakul" (it eats), — that is to 
say, it is not fordable. 
It would have been the more dangerous to attempt 
to force the passage, as the opposite shore, which was 
so near, and only four feet high, was occupied by a 
number of stalwart pagans, who mocked at our inabi- 
lity to cross the river, and seemed to be quite ready to 
receive in a satisfactory manner anybody who should 
make the attempt. It would have been easy to 
have blown away these people, and thus to clear the 
place of descent ; but for such an undertaking my 
friends had not sufficient courage or energy. I did 
not see a single Kanuri on the island, but only Shiiwa, 
who always expose themselves to the greatest risk, 
and push on the furthest. The pagans had not only 
occupied the opposite bank, but even kept afloat four 
canoes at some distance above the island, in order to 
run down, with the assistance of the current, any one 
who should dare to cross the river. Three of these 
canoes were small ; but the fourth was of a larger 
size, and manned by ten Miisgu. 
These canoes were the only craft visible on the 
river, and probably constituted the whole naval force 
