314 TRAVELS m AFRICA. Chap. XLVIII. 
(for Shari, as I have said before, means nothing else 
but river), which, augmented by the smaller but very 
considerable river of Logon, forms that large basin 
which gives to this part of Negroland its character- 
istic feature. The river at this spot runs from S. 
30° W. to N. 30° E., but its general course is rather 
winding, coming further upwards from the south, 
and beyond forming a reach from E. 38° N. 
The shore, where I stood enjoying the tranquil 
but beautiful scenery, is closely approached by the 
forest, and has an elevation of about fifteen feet. 
No human habitation was to be seen, with the 
exception of a small village on the other side. The 
surface of the water was undisturbed, except now 
and then by a fish leaping up ; no waterfowl en- 
livened the banks ; not a single boat was to be seen, 
till at length we observed the ferrymen on the op- 
posite shore, where it formed a flat and sandy beach, 
making us a sign that we were to proceed a little 
higher up the river, in order not to miss the landing- 
place when carried down by the current. We there- 
fore went about 800 yards further up ; and I made 
myseif comfortable under the shade of a tree, await- 
ing the boat, and indulging in the thought that I was 
soon to enter a new country, never before trodden 
by European foot. 
At length the boat came; but the ferrymen, as 
soon as they saw who we were, behaved in a strange 
and mysterious manner, and told us that they could 
not take us across the river before they had informed 
