242 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXIX. 
little of interest, and was only scantily adorned with 
trees, but the island was richly clothed with vegeta- 
tion. The only interesting feature in the scenery was 
the opposite shore, with the imposing cliffs of Bornu, 
where we had been encamped some time before. 
When at length we started, we were soon obliged to 
leave the shore in order to avoid an extensive swamp, 
and approached the hills, at the foot of which we had 
to cross a small creek, which during a great part of the 
year forms the border of the river itself, and then 
continued along the downs. Numbers of people, who 
had their temporary abode in the swampy plain, came 
to pay me their compliments. 
These people are called Gd-bibi, a name which is 
said to have reference to their black tents, which dis- 
tinguish them from the matting dwellings of the G^- 
bero. I was here not a little surprised at the swarms 
of locusts which the wind drove into our faces, and 
which certainly indicated our approach to more fer- 
tile regions. Proceeding in this manner, we reached 
a fine camping-ground in an opening of the slope of 
the downs, through which a path led to the interior, 
thus giving to the herds of cattle access to the river, 
and therefore called Diiniydme, " the watering-place 
of the cattle." A fine hajilij afforded a cool shade, 
the vegetation in general consisting only of fer- 
ndn, retem, and bii-rekkeba, and we at once decided 
to halt here, in order to await our guide, Hamma- 
Hamma, one of the Ga-bero, who had gone to visit his 
family, but had promised to rejoin us at this spot. 
