CROSSING THE DHIOLIBA. 
443 
CHAPTER XVII I. 
Crossing the Dhioliba. — Abode at Jenne. — Description of the town. — 
Manners and customs of the inhabitants. — Trade. — EngUsh and French 
goods. — Buildings. — Population. — Schools. — Religion. — Food and 
clothing. — Geographical details. — Course of the river. — The Mas- 
sina. — Residence of the sherif of Jenne. — A dinner. — Use of tea, sugar 
and porcelain. — Preparations for my departure for Timbuctoo. 
On the morning of the 11th of March we prepared to 
leave Cougalia. We crossed the river in frail canoes, 
about thirty feet long and very narrow, made of a single 
trunk of the bombax. They were very inconvenient and 
every moment threatened to upset. However, we suc- 
ceeded in getting the asses on board; for the river was too 
wide for them to swim across. I should imagine that its 
breadth in this part is five hundred feet, or two hundred 
and fifty ordinary paces. 1 thought it narrow in com- 
parison with its width at Couroussa, in the country of 
Amana, which is much nearer to its source. At first, I 
supposed that what I saw at Cougalia was only an arm 
of the river, forming the island of Jenne. It is very deep, 
for in the middle our people were obliged to use oars, 
their poles not being long enough to reach the bottom. 
It was noon when we landed on the right bank, and several 
musket-shots were fired in token of rejoicing. The heat 
was intense. I walked a short distance along the bank 
of the river, where I saw many mimosas, of the same kind 
as that which grows in the water on the banks of the Sene- 
gal, and which is also very abundant in the interior. On 
inundated ground, however, it does not exceed the height 
