A F R. I C A« ai$ 
and as a teftimony of their friendfhip they 
wiihed to accompany me to the other fide, and 
to remain with me till the next morning ; but 
I declined their offer, becaufe, as the weather 
vifibly threatened rain, I was apprehenfive that 
the water might fuddenly rife, and prevent 
their return. It was indeed fortunate for me 
that I croffed the river that evening ; for dur-. 
ing the night there came on a deluge, which 
continued, without interruption, for three en- 
tire days, and which flattered me with new 
hopes of the happy fuccefs of my journey. Its 
violence was even fo great, from the very firft 
moment it began, that I was obliged to halt, 
and to encamp on the border of the river. I 
was here favoured by my good fortune ; fince, 
had I been one day later, I fhould have found 
no ford, and £hould have been reduced to the 
necefljty of croffing on rafts ; a laborious me- 
thod, which would have occafioned to my 
people much fatigue, and to me a great lofs of 
time; befides that, the ftream being rapid and 
cnclofed between fteep banks, the ufe of a raft, 
during an inundation, would have been at- 
tended with confiderable danger. 
The fecond day the waters fwelled fo much 
Vol. I. *^ 
