FROM SAY TO BUSSA 407 sudden, however, there was a shout of " Digui ! what is that? — we are among the rocks ! " In fact, all around us the water was ruffled with those peculiar ripples which I used to call moustaches, and which we knew all too well. A strong current was sweeping along, and we expected every moment that our boats would strike and be staved in. How was it that it did not happen 7 DiguJ's features became of the ashy hue peculiar to negroes when they lose their natural colour ; he, too, was evidently alarmed, but all of a sudden he burst out laughing. " Fish ! Commandant," he cried, " fish ! nothing but fish ! " He was right, the ripples were caused by big fishes, a kind of pike, native to the Niger, swimming against the current after their prey. There were simply hundreds of them.

We tried to avenge ourselves for our fright by doing a little fishing with petards of gun-cotton, but it was no