170 VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
road. Indeed, every circumstance is combined to protract the 
voyage and render it disagreeable. 
The diseases also which prevail in this season, are more fre- 
quent and active on the river. The burning air does not circulate, 
nor is it ever tempered by the sea-winds. The banks of the river 
are covered with trees, whose leaves and offal, which seem to 
have been collecting ever since the creation, corrupt and infect 
the atmosphere, and render poisonous the air which is inhaled. 
Besides this, the voyagers are devoured by insects, drenched by 
almost continual rains, and singed by lightning, which incessantly 
threatens their lives. 
The ships are obliged to pay duties to several princes, in order 
to obtam a free passage ; and as these are not regulated before- 
hand, the navigators are compelled to stop every year, and enter 
into a fresh négociation on the subject; by which they lose the 
most valuable part of their time, and sacrifice the health of their 
crews. The princes are also sometimes so exorbitant in their 
demands, that the ships attempt to pass without yielding to them, 
and this petty warfare seldom turns to our advantage. In short, 
these and numerous obstacles, render two months requisite to go 
by water from Isle St. Louis to Galam; and even such Euro- 
peans as have performed it, return in a dying state, and seldom 
perfectly recover their health. These were the considerations 
Avhich induced the English to abandon the post at Galam, when 
they were masters of the Senegal ; but they did wrong, and it be- 
comes us to improve by their error. ^ 
The route by land does away all these difficulties, as it is safe, 
convenient, OGcu|>res only twenty days, and may be undertaken 
during eight months of the year. The most favourable time for 
setting out, is the month of March, at which period the season 
is fresh, the sky pure, and the winds blow constantly from the 
north. Travellers bv land miaht also carrv on a considerable 
trade with the inhabitants on their way, as the country abounds 
with gum-trees and gold mines. The passage which Î caused 
to be traced, was made by a single man ; but it might be per- 
formed by caravans of any number, though they should always 
be under the guidance of a Marabou^ as these priests possess the 
greatest influence over the Negroes. By such means we might 
obtain a proper knowledge of the interior of i\frica, and by ex- 
tending our political and commercial relations, make ourselves 
rich, and the people happy. 
The kingdom of Bambouk is a large country, celebrated for 
its gold mines. The Moors acquire this metal by repairing to 
the spot, while the French and English receive it from the Man- 
dingo Negroes, who bring it to the Gambia. This kingdom is 
bounded on the N. by that of Galam ; on the N. E. by the Ka- 
