196 DISCOVERIES OF THE FRENCH* 
were visited by Adanson, the celebrated natural- 
ist. Although he did not penetrate so far up the 
river as several of his predecessors in the same 
track, yet the intelligence and activity with which 
he explored its banks, and the variety of curious 
information collected by him, render his narrative 
of considerable value. The first remarkable oc- 
currence was in passing the bar of the Senegal. 
This bar is a ridge of sand, stretching across its 
mouth at a little distance under water. The 
waves rising to a considerable height, and breaking 
upon the bar, cause considerable difficulty to any 
vessel that attempts to enter. The care of pilot- 
ing them through was committed to negro sailors^ 
who turned a deaf ear to all advice or contradic- 
tion, and even insisted on a profound silence on 
the part of the European navigators. To the lat- 
ter the scene appeared very formidable. One 
wave lifted them to a great height, and then left 
them aground till a third came and took them 
up. The negroes, however, left to themselves, 
they conveyed our party through without injury,, 
though not without dread. They then found them- 
selves in a very gentle stream, about 800 fathoms 
in breadth, and bordered on all sides by an im- 
mense plain of white and moving sands. Arrived 
at Fort St Louis, our author presented his letters 
to the governor, who received him cordially, and 
granted full permission to travel through the coun- 
6 
