ISLE OF AEliUlN. 
M. de Brisson ând the baker embarked for France; and Sidy- 
-Sellem retired weii satislied with the generosity of the consul. 
. ' CHAP. XL 
ISLE OF ARGUiN.—POHTENDICK.— HISTORICAL ACCOUNT 
OF THE DIFFERENT NATIONS WHO HAVE OCCUPIED 
THOSE PLACES. EUROPEAN COMMERCE AND FISH- 
ERIES. CAPE VERD.— GOREE, ITS POSSESSION RY EU» 
ROPE AN NATIONS. ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS ANB 
TRADE OF ITS INHABITANTS. 
T'hE ships which leave Earope for the establishments in the 
Athmtic ocean, along an extensive coast of about three hundred 
and fifty leagues, cannot relay more conveniently in Africa than 
at the isle of Arguin, at which their commercial operations may 
be said to begin. The most safe anchorage is at the southern 
point, where vessels that draw only ten or twelve feet water may 
approach very near to land. Between the isle and the con- 
tinent is a canal in which vessels of heavy burden, and even fri- 
gates, may anchor at the spot on which formerly stood the fort^ 
When the Dutch look the place, they regularly fortified it, and 
built a fort with four bastions and deep fosses. In short, they 
neglected nothing that might enable them to keep perpetual pos- 
session of the isle, but this fort has disappeared ; and of all 
their works there only remain two cisterns, which seem to have 
been respected both by time and men. The largest is ten fa- 
thoms wide, sixteen long, and about fifteen deep, and is about 
two hundred fathoms from the part containing the remains of the 
face of the fort. It appears to have been dug in the rock, lit 
the midst of this spacious vault is a large w ell fifteen feet deep, 
in which all the waters unite, whether they proceed from springs 
or filtrate through the rock from the soil which covers it. It is 
asserted that the cistern contains five thousand six hundred mulds 
of water. The smaller cistern is to the north of the first, and h 
an artificial vault dug like the other by the hand of man, w ith the 
assistance of explosion. The capacity of the parts which receive 
the water is estimated at half that of the cistern first mentioned. 
These two cisterns were formed by the Portuguese between 
144.5 and Î 481, when after the fall of the Norman company 
they first occupied the isle of Arguin. 
PORTENDICK. 
Portendick is a bay about half way between Arguin and isle. " 
St. Louis. Its entrance is very difficult, being closed by tvu> 
saud bankS; which have only two or three fathoms of water; but 
