Chap. LXXX. ARRIVAL AT SAY. 
293 
along this level, we reached a small village, in the 
courtyards of which, besides sesamum, a little mekka, 
as it is here called, or ghafiili-mdsr, was cultivated. 
Here I, together with my horsemen, started in ad- 
vance of my train, in order to prepare our quarters 
in the town of Say, as we had a good day's march 
before us. The country here became adorned with 
gonda bush, of which we had entirely lost sight 
during our whole journey along the upper course of 
the Niger. Having passed the larger village Dogo, 
where with some difficulty we obtained a drop of 
milk, and having traversed a richly cultivated district, 
we descended into the valley of Say, along the rugged 
cliffs which bounded it on the west. But the greater 
part of the valley was covered with water to such a 
degree that we became entangled every moment in a 
swamp, and therefore preferred again ascending the 
cliffs and keeping along the higher border. In this 
northerly part the rocky slope attained in general a 
height of 150 feet, but gradually began to decrease 
in elevation. About half an hour before noon we 
changed our direction, and made across the swampy 
bottom of the valley, traversing two more consider- 
able sheets of water, the first of three, and the 
second of two and a half feet in depth. 
Thus we approached the town of Say, which was 
scarcely visible owing to the exuberant vegetation 
which surrounded its wall on every side, and which 
exhibited a most remarkable contrast to that dryness 
and monotony, which characterized the place on my 
u 3 
