igS TRAVELS IN THE 
a great many slaves in conveying people over the river, and 
the money they receive (though the fare is only ten Kowrie 
shells for each individual) furnishes a considerable revenue 
to the king, in the course of a year. The canoes are of a sin- 
gular construction, each of them being formed of the trunks of 
two large trees, rendered concave, and joined together, not side 
by side, but end ways; the junction being exactly across the 
middle of the canoe : they are therefore very long and dispro- 
portionably narrow, and have neither decks nor masts; they 
are, however, very roomy ; for I observed in one of them four 
horses, and several people, crossing over the river. When 
we arrived at this ferry, we found a great number waiting 
for a passage; they looked at me with silent wonder, and I dis- 
tinguished, with concern, many Moors among them. There 
were three different places of embarkation, and the ferrymen 
were very diligent and expeditious; but, from the crowd of 
people, I could not immediately obtain a passage ; and sat down 
upon the bank of the river, to wait for a more favourable 
opportunity. The view of this extensive city; the numerous 
canoes upon the river; the crowded population, and the culti- 
vated state of the surrounding country, formed altogether a 
prospect of civilization and magnificence, which I little ex- 
pected to find in the bosom of Africa. 
I waited more than two hours, without having an oppor- 
tunity of crossing the river; during which time the people 
who had crossed, carried information to Mansong the King, 
that a white man was waiting for a passage, and was coming 
to see him. He immediately sent over one of his chief men. 
