74 
TRAVELS IN AFUICA. 
dure. Great numbers of evergreen trees and 
shrubs, afford a pleasing and refreshing reHef to 
the eye, wearied from beholding a light coloured 
sand reflecting the rays of a vertical sun unob- 
structed by clouds. The thermometer stood at 
97° in the shade, open air, and at 80° in the water, 
which is very muddy, though sweet and good. 
There were fish in the creek, for I saw them 
rise. We do not know what species, but from 
the skeleton of one which had been devoured by 
a hawk, we concluded some of them to be cat- 
fish. 
This creek joins the Gambia about five miles 
from where we crossed it, and is navigable for 
boats to twice that distance above the bridge, 
where, on both sides of it, are situate towns 
with which an advantageous trade in all the pro- 
ductions of the country might be carried on. 
At half after four, the object of our halt being 
effected, we marched for Pakeba, distant three 
miles and a half, where we arrived at six, and 
halted for the night. The whole distance from 
the creek to this town is well cultivated ; some 
enclosures of cotton and indigo had a flourishing 
appearance. The town is a small one, contain- 
ing about one hundred and fifty huts, and de- 
fended by a strong mud wall, seven feet high, 
and a stake fence outside. The inhabitants are 
Sonikeas or Pagans, and are subject to Katoba, 
