S68 DISCOVERIES OF THE FRENCH. 
explored its banks, and the variety of curious in- 
formation collected by liim, render his narrative 
of considerable value. The first remarkable oc- 
currence was in passing the bar of the Senegal. 
This bar is a ridge of sand, stretching across its 
mouth at a little distance under water. The 
waves rising to a considerable height, and break- 
ing upon the bar, cause considerable difficulty to 
any vessel that attempts to enter. The care of 
piloting them through was committed to negro 
sailors, who turned a deaf ear to all advice or con- 
tradiction, and even insisted on a profound silence 
on the part of the European navigators. To the 
latter the scene appeared very formidable. One 
wave lifted them to a great height, and then left 
them aground till a third came and took them 
up. The negroes, however, being left to them- 
selves, conveyed our party through without inju- 
ry, though not without dread. They then found 
themselves in a very gentle stream, about 300 
fathoms in breadth, and bordered on all sides by 
an immense plain of white and moving sands. 
Arrived at Fort St Louis, our author presented his 
letters to the governor, who received him cordial- 
ly, and granted full permission to travel through 
the country in every direction. Adanson, accord- 
ingly, set out for the interior, but found his pro- 
gress opposed by such obstacles, as only his inex- 
tinguishable zeal for science could have surmount- 
