SAN SAN. 
15 
village. Here the river might be three quarters of a mile 
broad^ and from eight to nine feet deep; the banks were 
uniformly low and bare. 
On the 30th of March, at six in the morning, we put 
off, still in the same direction. About nine o'clock, a violent 
north-east wind arose, and obliged us to halt before the village 
of Sansan. Here the river is of considerable breadth, but the 
banks being ornamented with mimosas, presented a pleasing 
prospect after the long absence of all vegetation. About five 
in the evening, the wind falling a little, we advanced to the 
north-east. The country on either side of the river was 
covered with numerous herds of oxen, whose lowing was 
heard at a great distance; they belonged to the Foulahs, 
residing in a village at some distance from the shore, and 
whose only property is their cattle. At six in the evening, 
we passed over a sand-bank, extending across the river, 
which is here a full mile in breadth. The canoe ran aground 
several times, and the men were obliged to jump into the 
water in order to get it afloat, for which about four feet and 
a half water was requisite. By great efforts we gained 
the channel, which runs near the right bank. Here I saw 
thousands of trumpet-birds, which came down in flocks 
upon the sand banks, and by their shrill cries seemed to 
sound a charge upon the fish, destined by nature for their 
prey. There were also great numbers of ducks, water-fowl, 
puffets, pelicans, and egrets, and multitudes of the other 
varieties of water birds, which inhabit these marshes, 
and brood undisturbed by the people of the surrounding 
countries. Powder is a very scarce article here, and lead is 
unknown; pikes, therefore, form the only arms of the 
inhabitants. 
We continued our course till midnight; when, our 
wearied rowers requiring rest, we moored the vessel to two 
stakes fixed in the shore, and went to sleep. 
On the thirty- first of March, at six in the morning, we 
