a bed of sand and gravel. The banks are high, and covered with verdure; the country is open and cultivated ; and the rocky hills of Felow and Bambouk, add much to the beauty of the landscape. December 28. We departed from Samee, and arrived in the afternoon at Kayee, a large village, part of which is situated on the north, and part on the south side of the river. A little above this place is a considerable cataract, where the river flows over a ledge of whin-stone rock, with great force : below this, the river is remarkably black and deep ; and here it was proposed to make our cattle swim over. After hollooing, and firing some musquets, the people on theKasson side observed us, and brought over a canoe to carry our baggage. I did not, how- ever, think it possible to get the cattle down the bank, which is here more than forty feet above the water ; but the Negroes seized the horses, and launched them one at a time, down a sort of trench or gully, that was almost perpendicular, and seemed to have been worn smooth by this sort of use. After the terrified cattle had been plunged in this manner to the water's edge, every man got down as well as he could. The ferryman then taking hold of the most steady of the horses by a rope, led him into the water, and paddled the canoe a little from the brink ; upon which a general attack commenced upon the other horses, who finding themselves pelted and kicked on all sides, unanimously plunged into the river, and followed their companion. A few boys swam in after them ; and by laving water upon them when they attempted to return, urged them onwards ; and we had the satisfaction, in about fifteen minutes, to see them all safe on the other side. It was. a matter of greater difficulty to manage the asses; their natural stubbornness of disposition made them endure a great deal o f pelting and shoving before they would venture into the water ; and when they had reached the middle of the stream, four of them turned back, in spite of every exertion to get them forwards. Two hours were spent in getting the whole of them over ; an hour more was employed in transporting the baggage; and it was near sunset before the canoe returned, when Demba Sego and myself embarked in this dangerous passage-boat, which the least motion was like to overset. The king s nephew thought this a proper time to have a peep into a tin box of mine, that stood in the fore part of the canoe ; and in stretching out his hand for it, he unfortunately destroyed the equilibrium, and overset the canoe. Luckily we were not far advanced, and got back to the shore without much difficulty ; from whence, after wringing the water from our clothes, we took a fresh departure, and were soon afterwards safely landed in Kasson. L
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