7^ 
VOYAGE TO SENEGAL» 
To the N. N. W. of the Bissaux isle is the river of Gesves, 
wliicli takes its name from a village sixty-six leagues from its 
mouth. At the part nhere it disembogues itself into the sea is 
another village called the Boat^ the inhabitants of which culti- 
vate rice in abundance, and exchange it for merchandize. It is 
asserted that these people are particularly famous for their talents 
in tamiîîg the most ferocious animals. 
The Gesves is extremely rapid, which is attributed to the na- 
tural and considerable descent of its bed, as well as to an eddy 
or irregularity of the tide which is very dangerous, and is known 
hy the name of mascaret: it arises from the tide being six hours 
in running down, and only three or less in coming up ; while it 
ascends with such rapidity that the waves seem like mountains of 
water rolling over one another, and their impulse is so great that 
they carry oif whatever comes in their way. Hence vessels 
moor in theise roads in such a manner as to keep always afloat, 
or to move on, w hen they see the mascaret approaching. 
The trade of Gesves consists annually of about two hundred 
slaves, live tons of wax, as much ivory, and four or five hundred 
common pagnes, or pieces of common Negro-cloth. This last 
article could not be dispensed with in the trade carried on with 
the Negro kings and the Bissagos : there are also other kinds of 
cotton, wliicii are bartered, and are of a superior'quality. The 
most certain method of carrying on trade with advantage, and 
giving it all the extent of which it is susceptible, is to have a num- 
ber of boats, w hich should frequent all the rivers and creeks of 
the country, for the purpose of procuring merchandize ; which 
might thus be obtained at first hand, and w ould deprive the Por- 
tuguese of the great benefits which they derive from their inter- 
ference. 
On penetrating up the mouth of this river, that is to say, iip 
the curve winch it makes to the north-west, we arrive at a village 
named Gonfode; it is inhabited by the Biafares Negroes, who are 
toferabiy civilized, and attached to commerce. To the south of 
the Gesves is anodier, to which they give the name of Goli, w hich 
is likewise inhabited by the Biafares, who trade to some extent 
with the Portuguese. The river in question leads to one of the 
ordinary residences of the kin^ of Guenala: the trade carried on 
along its banks is very considerable, but its navigation is very dif- 
ficult, on account of the numerous shoals and rocks with which 
it is iiiled. This obstacle, however, does not prevent the Ne- 
groes employed by the Portuguese froni trading continually along 
it with their canoes, though the mascaret attacks them in a very 
violent manner. 
On the shores of this river the Portuguesej, and those who pre- 
