minent one; and is seen for nearly six miles in proceeding down a very wide, handsome reach, which we called Belle-vue Reach. The river is here quite as wide as at Showy, which, with this exception, 1 take to be the widest part. This island is high ground, with steep and nearly perpendicular banks, and a depth of ten feet water close to the edge: the canoes moor up to the shore; the stream runs strong and clear; and the landing is on a fine dry sandy beach : it extends to the Tchad north, a distance of twelve or fifteen miles, and has two handsome streams bounding it, which run north-east and north-west, and by which the Shary takes its way into that immense lake. I t abounds with game : and we had fish in abundance, venison,.the flesh of a buffalo, and wild ducks, for supper, all roasted on wooden spits. We pitched our tent on the jutting head, where, a few years ago, stood a negro town: the inhabitants, however, were refractory, committed piracies on the Showy people, and in consequence the sheikh determined on exterminating them. They were in league with the Biddoomah, who were now kept to their own islands. Jog- gabah we found uninhabited, and covered with jungle and prickly underwood, in that part where we passed the night: we saw thirty porcupines, and- killed a centipede and two scorpions under our mats. We had two canoes rowing guard the whole night on account of the Biddoomah. By daylight we re-embarked, and proceeded by the north-west branch for more than two hours, keeping nearly the same direction : we passed several marshy floating islands, covered with rushes, high grass, and papyrus, apparently dividing the water into different streams, when we found ourselves in that sea of fresh water, the Tchad, which we named Lake Waterloo, and into which the Shary empties itself. I t was my intention to have proceeded quite round the island to the east, and to have returned by the other branch; but after making about two miles in the open
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