4 
S O U F A R A— C A B I A— T A C 0. 
market ; but people go through the streets selling pistachios, 
and other little productions of the country. The village 
probably contains about two hundred and fifty inhabitants. 
They live in wretched huts, built of earth like those of the 
Bambaras, which do not approach the perfection of the habi- 
tations of Jenne. The people catch a great quantity of 
fish. They generally use nets made of cotton, but some- 
times fish with the line. When I returned on board the 
canoe, the negro who was the master of the slaves and 
superintendent of the cargo gave me a piece of cake for 
my breakfast. Fortunately 1 had provided myself with 
some on shore, otherwise I should have made a sorry repast. 
The negroes again importuned me for cowries ; but I per- 
sisted in my resolution to give them nothing. At half past 
seven we continued our course. The river now took a 
northerly direction. It continued wide, and its depth was 
about ten or twelve feet. This I ascertained by observing 
the long pole with which the sailors pushed the canoe. It 
was nearly eleven o'clock when we passed Cabia. In front 
of this village there are three little islands ; here the river 
takes a turn to the N. E. and becomes narrower. About 
two o'clock I observed its direction was north, and at half 
past three, north-east. Its width and depth continued much 
the same ; its banks were barren and low. On both sides 
I observed immense plains, the uniformity of which was 
broken only by some ronniers which rise majestically to the 
height of about eighty feet from the ground and bound the 
horizon. About five in the afternoon we perceived the 
village of Taco, which is situated on the left bank. 
At sun-set I discerned, in the direction of the east, two 
little hills about six miles from the bank of the river, which 
in this part runs to the north. About seven in the evening 
we stopped before the village of Coona, which is inhabited 
by Foulahs, who live in straw huts. In the port there were 
some canoes, all going to Timbuctoo. Here we could plainly 
