Chap. XL VIII. THE SHAW AT ME'LE'. 
319 
some crocodiles which had been quietly basking in 
the sun, and lost no time in making signs to the 
ferrymen opposite, that we wished to cross, while I 
hastened to the rear of the rushes growing on the 
shore to make a slight sketch of the interesting 
scenery of the river, with the village on the other 
side. We were delighted when, after a short delay, 
we saw a boat leaving the village, going round the 
sandbank which stretched out in the middle of the 
river, and coming towards us. All our success now 
depended on a few minutes; and as soon as the 
ferrymen touched the shore we satisfied their claims, 
and entered the boat, which was large and com- 
modious. 
It was with very satisfactory feelings, although 
mingled with some degree of uneasiness, that I 
found myself floating on this noble river, which was 
here certainly not less than 600 yards across. The 
sandbank is a little nearer to the eastern shore, and 
the whole current (" ngada " in Kanuri, " amma-wa" 
in L6gone) keeps along that side, while on the western 
shore the river sweeps slowly along, and in general 
appears not to be very deep. In the channel, the 
poles of the ferrymen indicated a depth of fifteen feet. 
Our camel, horses, and bullock had to cross the river 
by swimming alongside the boat, till we reached the 
northern end of the sandbank, when they walked 
along the sandy beach ; the sandbank being at 
present about 250 yards in length. The current 
between the sandbank and the eastern shore was 
