JENNE — DIBBIE — GINBALA. 383 
several hundred miles, through nations and re- 
gions entirely unknown, awaited him on the other. 
In this extremity he resolved to accept the only 
alternative which circumstances presented, and 
to attempt the preservation of those discoveries 
which he had made, by returning to the Gambia. 
He had now approached within ^00 miles of 
Tombuctoo, which had Jong been the object of 
research of the Portuguese, the French, and the 
English ; he had ascertained the direction of the 
Niger, and foUowed its course for seventy miles 
to the east ; and he now endeavoured, before his 
return, to collect from the Moorish and negro 
traders, an account of its farther course, and of 
the kingdoms in its vicinity. He was informed 
that Jenne, a large town, containing a greater 
number of inhabitants than Sego, or any other 
city in Bambarra, is situated on a small island in 
the Niger, at the distance of two days' journey 
from Silla. Two days' journey below Jenne, the 
river expands into a considerable lake, termed 
Dibbie, the dark lake, in crossing which, from 
west to east, the canoes lose sight of land for one 
whole day. From the lake Dibbie the river 
issues in a number of streams, which, at a lower 
point, unite in two large branches, which, separat- 
ing to a great distance, enclose the island Ginbala 
or Guinbala, which is about 100 miles in length. 
Ginbala is inhabited by negroes, who live in con- 
25 
