IRON MINES. 
observed fields inundated by the torrents from the mountains, 
and displaying- great fertility ; scattered gum-trees extended 
to the foot of the heig-hts. 
I climbed the highest of the hills, which was very steep ; 
on its side nothing was to be seen but a mass of ferruginous 
stones, not adhering together, and consequently very apt to 
roll down : at different distances rocks of a wliite colour with 
rounded summits and nearly of a quadrangular form, projected 
from the midst of these stones ; but the angles of these rocks 
were almost obtuse, and as it were worn away. On reaching 
the summit, I discovered an immense extent of country ; at 
the base of the mountain rose a chain which ran to the south- 
east in the form of an oval horse-shoe. One solitary baobab 
was to be seen in this desolate plain. The Marabout, whom I 
had left at the bottom of the hill with our horses, fastened them 
to a tree and joined me ; observing me examine the stones 
with which the ground was covered with much attention, he 
made a hole with his dagger, in a greyish earth lying beneath 
the first stratum of stones, and which seems to be mixed with 
ashes, and picked up some small yellowish stones, saying, 
" These are the stones which the Moors and Toucolors come 
in quest of; they dig holes the depth of my arm, from which 
they obtain a large quantity ; load their asses with them, and 
then smelt them in their furnaces ; they yield much iron ; and 
the deeper they dig the more they find." Having taken up a few 
of these stones we returned. The descent was rather dangerous, 
