Chap. XLVII1. THE SHA'Rl' AGAIN. 
331 
in the shape of a small dyeing place, which contained 
two pits. 
At an early hour we pursued our march, _ , 
J 1 March 28th. 
approaching the town of Bugoman, where I 
was to await further orders from the sultan. The 
country exhibited signs of considerable cultivation, 
and numerous farming hamlets, called " y6weo " by 
the Bagirmi people, were spread about ; at present, 
however, they were tenantless, being only inhabited 
during the rainy season by the " field hands," as an 
American would say. 
After a march of about four miles, and having 
passed a swampy meadow ground with numerous 
traces of the rhinoceros, we again stood on the banks 
of the great river of Bagirmi, the Shari or Ba, which 
here, where at present it formed a wide flat sandy 
beach*, at first sight seemed very inconsiderable, 
compared with that noble character which it had 
exhibited lower down, so that I almost supposed it 
to be nothing but a branch of the principal river, 
although my people repeatedly assured me this was 
not the case ; that small branch which higher up, 
a little above the town of Miltu, separates from it, 
passing by Buso and Bachikam, a few miles to the 
south of Masena, having just rejoined it near the 
town of Miskin, of which the taller trees, if not the 
* Before coming to the main river I had to traverse a small 
stream of very cold and limpid water, running in the opposite 
direction to the river ; but I do not know whence it may pro- 
ceed. 
