nicely balanced, and then fixed on a large stem of bamboo, at the extreme ends ; the fisherman launches this on the river, and places himself astride between the gourds, and thus he floats with the stream*; and throws his net. He has also floats of cane, and weights, of small leathern bags of sand: he beats up against the stream, pad* dling with his hands and feet, previous to drawing the net, which, as it'rises from the water, he lays before him as he sits ; and with a sort of mace, which he carries for the purpose, the fish are stunned by a single blow. His drag finished, the fish are taken out, and thrown into the gourds, which are open at the top, to receive the produce of his labour. These wells being filled, he steers for the shore, unloads, and again returns to the sport. 25th.—At Woodie I met Barca Gana, Ali Gana, and Tirab, with their forces, on their return from Kanem: they had been out, some of them five months, had made the complete tour of the lake, and were in a sad plight, with scarcely thirty horses left, having literally fought their way: Amanook had twice attacked them, and had sent off all his flocks and women to Begharmi, but had not gone himself; and they were, so reduced as not to be able to do any thing to prevent him. They were so badly off for every thing, that they were obliged to come down on Kanem for supplies: the people refused them any: assistance, and after being half starved, they were obliged to make a running fight of it, and get home as well as they could. The Kanem people were all in a state of mutiny, and the Dugganah had gone off towards Waday. This was sorry news; Belial wanted to turn hack. I: saw Barca Gana, who said, “ I t is dangerous, but I think you may. go on if you wish it. I would give you eighteen men, but you are better without them: they expect the sheikh, and going with Belial, wanting but little, and paying for that, for the crops have failed them, you will have little to fear; but you cannot go beyond the Bornou Kanemboos with less than one hundred men.”
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