300 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLVIL 
Miisgu country, it bears the peculiar name " Serbe- 
wuel," I do not know exactly for what reason. 
Meanwhile we were passing by the village Honkel, 
which lies on the western side of the river, and 
which as I shall soon have occasion to observe, was 
of great importance in the former history of this 
country. The river changing its direction here, we 
again approached the western shore, and saw that at 
least half the inhabitants of the town had come out 
to see what the Christian was doing on the river ; for 
they could scarcely imagine that I had embarked for 
any other purpose than to search for gold. In the 
midst of the crowd some horsemen in a very showy 
dress were observed, and I was informed that they 
were people from A'dishen the Miisgu chief, just ar- 
rived with a message ; and I soon observed that they 
were priding themselves on a dress which they had 
received from their oppressors, on the expedition in 
which I and Mr. Overweg accompanied the latter. 
Seeing a crocodile raising its head just above the 
water close to the other side of the river, I could not 
resist firing at it, when the crowd burst out in loud 
cheers of acclamation. The servants of the sultan, 
however, who had accompanied me in the boat, had 
been for some time uneasy, and wished me to return ; 
and on reaching a beautiful solitary deleb-palrn, or 
" margiim," as they are called by the people of Logon, 
I could no longer resist the pleadings of my com- 
panions to abstain from proceeding further. We had 
here an extensive view over the river, its principal 
