Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/214

186 Cocoa-nuts are sold about the streets in great quantities, and various little parcels of them were sent to us; but we understood that they are imported from a neighbonringneigbhouring [sic] country. Egga is of prodigious extent, and has an immense population. Like many other towns on the banks of the river, it is not unfrequently inundated, and a large portion of it was at that time actually overflowed. The soil in the vicinity of the town consists of a dark heavy mould, uncommonly productive; so that, with trifling labour, all the necessaries of life are obtained in plenty, and cheaply. The inhabitants eat little animal food, but live principally on fish, which are sold at a reasonable rate. Hyenas are said to abound in the woods in great numbers, and are so bold and rapacious as to have lately carried away nearly the whole of the sheep in the town. Near this place is a considerable market-town on the opposite side of the river. A few miles below Egga the dominion of the chiefs or kings of territories is no longer acknowledged, and each town or city has its own ruler.'

Oct. 25.—At five in the morning we found ourselves nearly opposite a very considerable fiver entering the Quorra from the eastward. We first supposed it to be an arm of.the river running from us; but the strong opposing current soon proved our mistake. We had now many hills to our right and left, close to the banks; others at a greater distance. At seven o'clock the river seemed free of islands and morasses, and its banks were well wooded, and much higher than we had observed them for a long time previously, nevertheless it ran over a rocky bottom, which caused its surface to ripple exceedingly. At ten we passed a huge and naked white rock, in the form of a perfect dome, arising from the centre of the river, which we named the Bird Rock, from its being covered with them. The course of the river this morning was S.S.W.; and its width varied, as usual, from two to five or six miles.'

'At Bocqua, 26th Oct., we were informed that directly opposite to it, on the eastern bank, is the common path to the city of Funda, which is situated three days' journey inland from the Quorra; that the large river we observed yesterday falling into the Quorra from the eastward is the celebrated Shar, Shary, or Sharry, of travellers; or, as it is more commonly called than either, the Tshadda; indeed, it is universally so called throughout the country. The interpreter further said, that the small river we had passed on the 19th, flowing from the same direction, is the Coodoonia.'

'At Bocqua some iron hoops were found, and staves of casks. Bocqua possesses four markets. The chief of Bocqua told us to avoid his enemy, the chief of Attà, and that in seven days we should reach the sea. Both banks of the river below Bocqua