280 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XL VI. 
the Tsad, which reaches its highest level in November, 
when all the waters carried down by the several 
rivers and torrents have spread over the whole sur- 
face of the lagoon, while the loss from evaporation is 
then much less than during the hot months. 
Continuing through a very thick forest full of 
herds of wild hogs, which seem greatly to delight in 
these low, swampy, and densely overgrown grounds 
on either side of the (river) Shari, and having passed 
another swamp, and the forest at length clearing, we 
obtained a sight of the high clay walls of the town 
of Kala, starting forth from a beautiful grove of fig- 
trees, and overtowered by a very lofty, but slightly 
inclined solitary palm-tree. 
