SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 341 
where they could repose. That first impression has all the 
force of reality to the superficial observer ; but if he remain 
any time, the illusion vanishes and Senegal appears what it 
really is — a parched and barren country, destitute of the most 
necessary vegetables for the nourishment and preservation of 
the health of man. 
The town of St. Louis, which is also called Senegal, be- 
cause it is the head-quarters of the French establishments on 
that coast, is built upon a small island, or a bank of sand, 
formed in the midst of the river Senegal, at about two leagues 
from its mouth. It is two thousand toises in length, and three 
hundred in breadth. The native inhabitants of the country 
call it Ndar, and Ba-Fing, or Black River, the river which 
waters it. The last name corresponds to thut of Niger, v.hich 
ancient geographers have given to that river. 
The population of St. Louis is about ten thousand souls, 
five hundred of whom are Europeans, two thousand negroes 
or free mulattoes, and nearly seven thousand five hundred 
slaves. There are about one hundred and fifty houses in St. 
Louis inhabited by Europeans ; the remainder consists of sim- 
ple squares, or huts of straw, which a slight flame would cause 
to vanish in a moment, as well as all the houses of brick which 
are near them. The streets are spacious, but not paved. The 
greater part are so completely filled with sand, which the winds 
and hurricanes bring from the deserts of Sahara, that it is near- 
ly impossible to walk along them when the winds are blowing. 
That fine and burning sand so impregnates the air that it is in- 
haled and swallowed with the food ; in short, it penetrates eve- 
ry thing. The narrow and little-frequented streets are often 
blocked up. Some of the houses are fine enough; they have 
but one story. Son^e have covered galleries ; but in general 
the roofs are in the oriental fashion, in the form of a terrace. 
The gardens of Senegal, though their plants have been 
much praised, are nevertheless few in number, and in very 
bad condition. The whole of their cultivation is limited to 
some bad cabbages, devoured by the insects, a plot of bitter 
radishes, and two or three beds of salad, withered before it is 
fit for use; but these vegetables, it must be said, are very ex- 
quisite, because there are none better. The governor's gar- 
den, however, is stocked with various plants, such as cucum- 
bers, melons, carrots, Indian pinks, some plants of barren 
ananas, and some marigolds. There are also in the garden 
three young date trees, a small vine arbor, and some young 
American and Indian plants. But these do not thrive, as much 
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