276 THE EXPLORATION OF THE NICER In the course of the whole day we only made about four and a half miles.

Monday the 30th was again a most exciting day. The Au6e struck no less than three times, and the last accident in the Kokoro pass was a serious one. It really seemed as if our troubles would never end ! The unfortunate barge had three planks of her bottom staved in, and the water rushed in as if she were made of wicker-work.

The scenery on the banks was grand ; big villages alternating with great plantations of millet. All the islands have a coating of extremely fertile vegetable mould, unwholesome enough in itself, but which the natives have known how to turn to account.

At our anchorage we found our old friend the blacksmith of Bokar Wandieldu, whose master himself it appears had wished to see us, and had waited for us until the day before, Amadu had made one last effort to turn