^ AFRICA. 22^ 
my people had no fooner reached, than, cafiiing 
their eyes downwards to the plain below, they 
fhouted for joy, as if they had efcapeda fhip- 
wreck. 
We all flocked together, and the joy became 
general. The Houzouanas fliared in the ex- 
ultation, and pointed out to me with fingular 
delight the windings of the river in the plain^ 
and the trees with which its banks were bor- 
dered. My people began to be aihamed of the 
fufpicions they had entertained of the fidelity 
of thefe men ; and prefently their confidence 
was fo great as almoft to difpel every ihadow 
of uneafinefs. 
. It now remained for us to defcend the 
mountain ; and we expefted here a repetition 
of the fatigues which we had already experi- 
enced in afcending it : but, befides that the 
pleafure of approaching the end of our jour- 
ney could not fail to foften them, we had rea- 
fon to conclude that they would be much 
fooner at an end, becaufe, the level of the river 
being higher than the plain on the oppofite 
fide, the fpace to be paiTed over was a great 
deal fliorter ; and we found alio, at a certain 
diftance from thefummit, a convenient ftation 
for 
