298 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXXI. 
come to ascend the river, and supplying his place of 
residence with all kinds of European articles, would 
raise it to a market-place of great importance ; and 
he was the more agreeably affected by such prospects, 
as my friendly relation with the Sheikh El Bakay 
had convinced him of the peaceable intentions of the 
Europeans. 
Wednesday, 1^ was iu the aftcmoon that we left our 
August 2nd. narrow quarters in the town of Say, which 
had appeared to us the more inconvenient, as we had 
experienced several thunder-storms, which had obliged 
us to take refuge in the interior of our narrow huts. 
Before reaching the bank of the river, we had to cross 
a large sheet of water, which here likewise intersected 
the town, filling out the whole hollow bordered by 
the diim-palms, and causing a serious interruption in 
the communication of the different quarters of the 
town. Nevertheless, the level of the river at present 
seemed only about five feet higher than it had been 
the previous year, a little earlier in the season, and 
the inconvenience must be greatly increased when 
the water reaches a higher level. It is a wonder that 
the town is not sometimes entirely swamped, although 
we must not forget that the river, the preceding year, 
had attained an unusual height, so that the water 
this year could scarcely have sunk to its average 
level before it had again commenced rising. The 
rocky cliff which obstructs the river about the middle 
of its course, at present only emerged from the water 
about a foot and a half. According to all appear- 
