342 STKIP WRECK OF TITE MEDUSA, 
on account of the poverty of the soil as the hot winds of the 
Desert, which wither them. Some, nevertheless, are vigo- 
rous, from being sheltered by walls and frequently watered. 
Five or six trees, somewhat bush)^ (island fig-trees,) are 
planted here and there in the streets, where may be seen 
also four or five baobabs, the leaves of which are devoured 
by the negroes before !hey are fully blown, and a palm of 
the species of Ronn, which serves as a signal-post for ships 
at sea. 
A league and a half from the island of St. Louis is situated 
the island of Babaguey. It is almost entirely cultivated^ bat 
the soil is so arid that it will scarcely grow any thing but 
cotton. There is a military station on this island, and a sig- 
nal-post, MM. Artigue and Gansfort each have a small 
dwelling here. The house, built in the European manner, 
which is there seen, serves to hold the soldiers and to accom- 
modate the officers of Senegal on their parties of pleasure. 
The island of Safal is situated to the east of Babaguey, and 
is separated from it by an arm of the sea. This was the asylum 
which we chose in the end to withdrav^- from misery, as will 
be seen in the sequel. 
To the east of the island of Safal is situated the large isl- 
and of Bokos, the fertility of which is very superior to the 
three preceding. Here are seen large fields of millet, maize, 
cotton and indigo, of the best quality. The negroes have es- 
tablished large villages here, the inhabitants of which live in 
happy ease- 
To the north of these islands, and to the east of Senegal, is 
the island of Sor, where resides a kind of black prince, called 
by the French, Jean Bart. The general aspect of this island 
is arid, but there are places susceptible of being made into 
large plantations. M. Valentin, merchant at St. Louis, has 
already planted several thousand feet of cotton, which is in a 
thriving condition. But that island being very much exposed 
to the incursions of the Moors of the desert, it would perhaps 
be imprudent to live in it. 
A multitude of other islands, formed by the encroachments 
of the riyer upon the main land, border on those of which I 
have already spokcii, several leagues distant to the north and 
east. The}' are principally covered with marshes, which it 
would be difficult to drain. In these isLnds grows the patri- 
arch of vegetables described by the celebrated Adanson, un- 
der the name of Baobab, (calibash tree,) the circumference 
of which is often found to be above one hundred feet. 
