156 DISCOVERIES OF THE FRENCH. 
the king of the Foulis, called the Siratik, to accom- 
modate the disputes that had arisen with him, and 
thence to proceed up to Gallam, where he wished 
to establish a factory. He was accompanied by 
three vessels and several small shallops ; one of 
which, with two canoes, went before, to announce 
his arrival. In sailing up the Senegal, he was won- 
derfully struck with the beauty of the scenery on 
its banks. The rainy season having just termi- 
nated, the woods and meadows were clothed in the 
most luxuriant verdure. The forests resounded 
with the songs of innumerable birds, while the 
prodigious multitude of the various monkey tribes, 
which leaped from branch to branch, presented a 
lively and amusing spectacle. The French passed 
several small islands formed by the waters of the 
Senegal, and which are entirely overflowed during 
the rainy season, but occupied and cultivated as 
soon as the waters have subsided. They came 
then to a much larger one, called Morfil, or the 
Isle of Ivory. It derives this name from the mul- 
titude of elephants by which it is peopled. These 
go in herds of forty or fifty, and are quite harm- 
less as to the inhabitants, but often do serious in- 
jury to the plantations. The negroes take them 
by digging pits in the ground, which being cover- 
ed with leaves and branches of trees, the elephants 
fall in, and are then easily killed with arrows. 
Near the western extremity of this island, on 
