8 
TKAVELS IN AFKIOA. 
CuAP. LXX. 
is confirmed as regards Kakondi and Timbo by Caillie's 
observations.* In the mountainous southern pro- 
vinces of Abessinia, too, whose latitude corresponds 
exactly with that of the regions from whence the 
feeders of the Niger take their rise, the most constant 
fall of rain has been observed in September. Now 
while the whole region between Jenne and Timbuktu 
is of a very flat and level character, so that the river, 
running along at a very slow rate and with a very 
meandering course, not only fills a very broad stream 
spreading out over the neighbouring low lands, but 
forms also a great many backwaters and basins or 
lakes of which the Debo is only one although per- 
haps the largest in size, the river lower down beyond 
with regard to Cape Palmas, Fraissinet in Nouvelles Annales des 
Voyages, 1855, vol. ii. p. 291—293. 
* See Tomaro from Caillie's Observations in Berghaus's Annal. 
1829, p. 769.; but especially Caillie's own account of his stay in 
Time, vol. i. p. 328. (Eng. ed.): "The rains, to be sure, were not 
so incessant, but we regularly had rain every day, until October, 
when it became less frequent." We know also from Caillie that 
the Milo, the South-eastern branch of the Niger, or Dhiuliba, 
reaches its highest level in September. Park's observations, even, 
show that the rains in the districts traversed by him extend till 
November; while we learn from him (Park's First Journey, 
3rd ed. 4to. p. 12.) that the Gambia, whose feeders partly issue 
from the same districts which feed the western branches of the 
Niger, reaches its highest level in the beginning of October ; 
and when we learn, from the same eminent traveller, that by the 
beginning of November the Gambia had sunk already to its former 
level, we must take into account the very short course of that 
river in comparison with the Niger which has a course of two 
thousand miles. The sinking of the Niger at Sansandi by about 
four inches, on the 8th of October (Park, vol.ii. p. 274), was only a 
temporary fluctuation. 
