Chap. XLVIII. RESIDENCE AT ME'LE'. 
325 
of the boys of the village, who occasionally crossed 
over to look after their fishing-tackle, or dry their 
nets. Both fish as well as crocodiles are extremely 
plentiful in the river; and the meat of the latter 
forms a great delicacy to the natives. But there is 
also in this river a very large animal, which, I think, 
must be identical with the ayii of the Benuwe and 
Niger— -the Manatus Vogelii* 
To the north-east the village was bordered by thick 
forest, which at a little distance was traversed by the 
lower course of the Ambusada, which was here ex- 
tremely rich in verdure, and full of the favourite haunts 
of the hog. I here, also, observed a considerable 
number of monkeys. It was during my residence in 
this place, likewise, that I first obtained a clear know- 
ledge of the nature of the Shari, and its relation with 
that of Logon, the point of junction of the two rivers 
being a little below Kusuri, at a place called Sina 
Facha, while I obtained a great deal of information 
— certainly not quite clear and distinct — of the towns 
and principalities on the upper courses of these rivers. 
I also learned that last year the river had overflowed 
its banks, and entered the very huts of the natives. 
Nevertheless, at this spot the banks were at present 
more than forty feet high. 
As for the name of the river, the name which is 
generally given to it, viz. Shary or Shari, belongs, as 
* I think it is this animal which is mentioned by Bnrckhardt 
(Travels in Nubia, Appendix L, p. 433.) as the p\ This 
name must be given to it by the Shuwa, but I did not hear it. 
y 3 
