466 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXXV. 
great rivers in these regions, except where they are 
encompassed by very steep banks. 
The principal river, the Ben u we, flowed here from 
east to west, in a broad and majestic course, through 
an entirely open country, from which only here and 
there detached mountains started forth. The banks 
on our side rose to twenty-five, and in some places 
to thirty feet, while just opposite to my station, be- 
hind a pointed headland of sand, the Faro rushed forth, 
appearing from this point not much inferior to the 
principal river, and coming in a fine sweep from the 
south-east, where it disappeared in the plain, but was 
traced by me, in thought, upwards to the steep eastern 
foot of the Alantika. The river, below the junction, 
keeping the direction of the principal branch, but 
making a slight bend to the north, ran along the 
northern foot of Mount Bagele, and was there lost to 
the eye, but was followed in thought through the 
mountainous region of the Bachama and Zma to Ha- 
marruwa, and thence along the industrious country 
of Kororofa, till it joined the great western river 
the Kwara or Niger, and, conjointly with it, ran 
towards the great ocean. 
On the northern side of the river another detached 
mountain, Mount Taife, rose, and behind it the Bengo, 
with which Mount Fiiro seemed connected, stretching 
out in a long line towards the north-west. The bank 
upon which we stood was entirely bare of trees, with 
the exception of a solitary and poor acacia, about 
one hundred paces further up the river, while on the 
