■if 
S& VOYAGE TO SENEGAt. 
river divides itself into six arms, each of which contains islands, 
%vhich are inhabited and cultivated; but they are said to be m> 
healthy, particularly for foreigners. 
CHAP. IV. 
OF THE RIVER GAMBIA.— ESTABLISHMIENTS OF EUROPEAN^ 
ON ITS BANKS. KINGDOMS WHICH DIVIDE THEM. — : 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE INHABITANTS. PRO- 
DUCTIONS OF THE COUNTRY, &C. &C. 
.A^FTER traversing the country which I have just described, and 
about thirty leagues from Goree, you arrive at the mouth of the 
Gambia, w hich empties itself into the sea at cape St. Mary on the 
«outh, and at the Isle of Birds on the north. Its width at this 
part is very great, being estimated at least at tw^o leagues betw een 
the points of Barra and Bagnon. The strait betw-een those 
points is ten or twelve fathoms deep, so that ail sorts of vessels 
can go up it. On the left bank of the river is a point which 
contains a large group of trees, amongst which is one much 
higher and larger than the rest: it is called the flag of the 
king of Barra; and the English have introduced the custom of 
saluting it with several guns, a ceremony which would subject a 
ship, that might dispense with it, to the greatest insults. 
The river Gambia is, throughout its w hole course, of Consi- 
derable width, and its bed is deep and muddy; while its banks 
are covered with thick mango-trees. It abounds in tish ; and 
sharks are very common at its mouth. In the upper parts it is 
frequented by crocodiles and hippopotami : its depth is so great 
tliat a ship of forty guns, and three hundred tons, may ascend it 
as far as Genachor, situated about sixty leagues from the sea; 
while a vessel of one hundred and fifty tons, can go as far as 
Barraconda, which is about two hundred and fifty leagues distant. 
The tide flows as high as this spot in the dry season, that 
is, from November to Juneor Julv; but the rest of the vear 
the river is impassable, on account of the inundations caused by 
the rains, and on account of the violence of currents, which 
overflow the banks in every direction, and cany away large 
trees. 
Europeans have not proceeded higher thrai Barraconda : it 
appears that hereabouts the course of the river is interrupted 
by a bank of rocks, and farther up^, it loses itself for several 
days in an impenetrable lake, covered by high grass and 
reeds. From the account of the Mandingo merchants and other 
pegroesj who are m the habit of traveiiiiig the ^^•ho]e iergth of 
