SOURCES OF THE GAMBIA AND RIO GRANDE. 235 
from the place where it springs from the ground, and beyond 
the valley, the Rio Grande changes the direction of its course, 
and runs to the west. 
Proceeding south-south-east in the same meadow, Ali 
suddenly stamped upon the ground, and the earth echoed in 
a frightful manner. " Underneath," said he, " are the reser- 
voirs of the two rivers ; the noise thou hearest proceeds from 
their being empty." After walking about thirteen hundred 
paces, we reached the wood which concealed the source of 
the Gambia. I forced my way through the thorny bushes 
which grew between the trees, and obtained a sight of it. 
This spring, like the other, was not abundant ; it issues from 
beneath a kind of arch in the middle of the wood, and 
forms two branches ; one running south-south- west stops at a 
little distance, on account of the equality of the ground which 
does not allow it to go any further, even in the rainy season ; 
the other runs down a gentle declivity, and takes a south-south- 
east direction. At its exit from the wood, and even six hun- 
dred paces farther, it is only three feet broad. After ascertain- 
ing so important a point as the relative position of the sources 
of the Gambia and Rio Grande, at so short a distance from 
each other, I hastened to rejoin Boukari, who awaited us with 
an impatience mingled with uneasiness ; we rejoiced together 
at not having met with any unpleasant adventure ; in fact, we 
had only seen a number of oxen roving without herdsmen, 
in the meadows contiguous to the sources of these two rivers. 
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