168 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXYI. 
Gatroni, met with a serious accident, falling, with his 
horse, down the dyke into the water ; and although, 
with his native agility, he succeeded in extricating him- 
self, with a few contusions, from his unpleasant situ- 
ation, we had great difficulty in getting the horse 
out from the hollow into which it had fallen, my com- 
panions asserting that it was dead, and wanting to 
leave it behind. At length we got away from the 
dyke, and finding a ford through the water, we reached 
the encampment, which was pitched on a narrow 
neck of grassy land, and completely dazzled us with 
the glare of its many fires, coming, as we did, out of 
the darkness. From the opposite side of the river, 
two hamlets of Songhay, called Inzammen and Takan- 
kamte, were visible likewise by their fires. 
The encampment belonged to some Kel e' Siik, who 
manifested a rather thievish disposition ; and, although 
not altogether inhospitable, they were unable to treat 
my companions well, as in the swampy lowland there 
was an entire want of firewood. It was one of those 
encampments which contributed in a great measure to 
ruin my health, partly in consequence of the heavy 
dew which fell during the night. Meanwhile my ser- 
vant, who was a most faithful person, was searching 
the greater part of the night for his pistols, which in 
his fall he had lost in the swamp. 
Fridajs While my companions still lagged behind 
May 26th. order to indemnify themselves for their 
lost supper by a good breakfast, I set off at a tole- 
rably early hour, in order to get out of the swampy 
