210 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LXXVII. 
the country, while it afforded a beautiful field for the 
cultivation of rice, and even in the present decayed 
state of the country, was not left wholly unprofitable. 
At length having passed several small channels, 
we regained the border of the sandy downs, which 
were richly clothed with vegetation, although the 
melancholy looking ferndn bush here also vindicates 
its right, beside the retem and the talha tree. 
We at length resumed our southerly direction, 
but were not allowed for any length of time to 
follow a straight course across this swampy ground, 
being recalled by some of our companions, who 
conducted us to a sandy promontory, with pro- 
jecting granite blocks and dum bushes, where the 
Sheikh had made a halt, opposite an encampment of 
the Songhay, in the ^'Ammas," as the Im6shagh call 
the bottom of the valley. Although I was sorry 
to break off our march so soon, the view from this 
place was highly interesting, as it afforded a distant 
prospect over the river, if I may so call a broad 
swampy valley, hemmed in by steep banks, enclos- 
ing in the midst an abundance of rank grass, and 
scarcely affording at the present time the aspect of an 
open sheet of water, smaller and larger creeks, and 
more extensive ponds being formed in every direction. 
But the most curious sight was that presented by the 
river a little higher up, where corresponding to the 
deep gulf which we had turned round in the morning, 
there appeared on the opposite side another swampy 
gulf, the whole width of the valley at that place 
