1G2 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXV- 
they were pursuing, into the difficult swampy ground 
which we ourselves had traversed. A lars^e comfor- 
table dwelling of matting, or " biige," as it is called, 
was erected on the sandhills, for the Sheikh and his 
companions ; but I had my tent pitched near the fine 
group of date palms, and from this point I made 
the subjoined sketch, which will impart to the reader 
a tolerably correct idea of the place. 
Here we remained the following day, when I was 
roused at a very early hour by the crowing of the 
cocks in Bamba, which could not but recall to my 
mind the fate of the enterprising but unfortunate 
Mungo Park, who is said by the natives to have stayed 
here a couple of hours in order to provide himself 
with fowls, and thus to have given leisure to the Ta- 
warek, lower down the river, to collect together and 
impede his passage ; a story which is also related with 
regard to Gogo and some other places along the river ; 
though it is more probable that his chief reason for 
making a halt near the principal places along the 
river, was to open communication with the natives, 
and more particularly in order to make astronomical 
observations. 
Rising at an early hour, while the sky was beauti- 
fully clear, I enjoyed an hour's pleasing reverie on 
my favourite rock of the previous day, overhanging 
the river. Although in full agitation the day before, 
this morning its surface was unruffled, and several 
boats were crossing over towards the island. 
I afterwards called upon my protector. One of his 
