SENEGAL is the name of a large river in Western Africa, which enters the Atlantic by two embouchures between 15° 50' and 16' 30 N. lat. It is the largest river of Senegambia, and with its tributaries drains nearly half the surface of that country. The largest of its branches are the Ba Woollma and the 11a Fing. The last-mentioned river, which is considered the principal branch, rises, according to the statement of Mollies], near 10' 30' N. lat., 10' 45' W. long., in the mountain range which inclose. the elevated table-land of Foota Jallon 00 the south. The Ba Fing flows first from north to south, but it soon turn, eastward, and passes at a little distance to the south of Timbo, the capital of Foots Jallon. Soon afterwards it runs north, and in that direction it traverses the south-eastern portion of the plain of Foota Jallon. After a course of hardly more than 30 miles it enters the mountable which divide Foots Jallon from the Wilderness of Jallon Kadoo. The Ba Fing is joined by some large tributaries, of which the Furkooma rune more than 150 miles. The course of the Ida ring to its junction with the Woolima exceeds 400 miles. The other great branch of the Senegal, the Ha Woolima, rises above 350 miles from the source of the Ba Mug, to the north-east, at the eastern extremity of the mountain range which separates Senegambia from SOdan, and at no great distance from the banks of the Joliba, or Quorra, near ]3' N. lat., 6' 40' W. long. Its course is first to the north-west, and then nearly west, at a short distance from the moun tains, until it joins the Ba Fire; after having run more than 300 miles. From the earth it is joined by the Kokorro, which exceeds 200 miles in length. The union of the Ba Fiug with the Ba Woolima takes place near 14* 10' N. lat., 10' 30' W. long., and from this place the river is called Senegal. About 15 miles below the union of its branches, the Senegal contains a cataract, called the Feloo Falls, which, according to the statement of Golberry, is 80 feet high. In this part the river runs north-west, but it soon turns to the west, and, at the distance of about 100 miles below Feloo Falls, it is joined from the south by the Ba Faleme, which flows more than 100 miles, and is navigable for a considerable distance from its mouth during the rainy season. On leaving the mountainous, and hilly country of Sene gambia, the Senegal enters a plain which extends to its very embou chures. In this plain its course is first to the north-west and afterwards to the west. In this part its course is extremely tortuous, the windings of the river being so numerous as to make its course double the length which it would have if it ran in a straight line. In that part of its course which lies to the west, the Senegal divides into two large arms, which reunite after having been separated for a distance exceeding 100 miles. Theso two arms inclose two islands, called Babes and Morfil, which have an average width of six miles, and are separated from one another by a narrow arm of the river. The northern or principal arm preserves the name of Senegal, and the southern is called Moral, or the River of Elephants Teeth, on account of the great number of elephants which are said to live on its banks.
After the two arms of the Senegal have reunited, it flows chiefly in one channel for more than 60 miles, but in approaching the sea it divides, near Faf, into two arms, which afterwards reunite. The smaller of these two arms is called the Saguerai. The principal arm divides again within six miles of the sea. The larger branch, or the proper Senegal, turns south by west, and, flowing nearly parallel to the beach, gradually spprosches the sea. Between the river and the Atlantic there is a strip of low laud, nearly level, and covered with sand : it is called the Point of Barbary, and gradually diminishes in width, so that opposite the island and town of St. Louie it is less than 300 yards across. About five miles farther south it terminates at the mouth of the river. The tract of land inclosed by the Senegal and Saguerai consists of many islands, two of which are of considerable extent, and separated from one another by an arm which branches off from the Saguerai and joins the Senegal. The northern island is called Bequio, and the southern Bifeelae. These islands are entirely covered with wood, and in the wet season a great portion of them is laid water. The course of the Senegal, as far as it runs southward, is nearly 40 miles long; but its waters in few places run in one channel, the middle of the river being occupied by a string of islands, some of which are several miles in length, and in some places more than half a mile in width. A bar has been formed across the mouth of the river, on which there is very little water, except at one place, where the currents have forced a passage through the sands : this is called the Pass of the Bar : it is generally about 250 yards wide and 15 feet deep, but these dimensions are subject to change. Only vessels drawing 12 feet of water can pass through this entrance of the river, as the surplus is necessary for the pitching of the vends which is, produced by the strong swell of the sea. The mouth of the river was formerly two miles farther south than it is at present. In 1812 an unusually extensive inundation opened the present mouth through the narrow sands of the Point of Barbary, and the old mouth was almost entirely filled up with sand.
As a navigable river the Senegal is far inferior to the Gambia ; for the Oambla has no inch obstacles at its mouth, and the Senegal is tench inferior to it In depth, and so full of shoals that it cannot be navigated by large river-barges in the dry season. The ascent of the Senegal is only practicable in the wet season, and oven then the voyage is slow and tedious, partly on account of the rapidity of the current, and partly because of the numerous windings. The river begins to rise some weeks after the rains have set in, generally in the first week of June; sometimes it attain, the height of 40 feet above its lowest level at Bakel, but lower down it doe. not rise so high. It attains its highest level in the month of August, and begins to fall about tho middle of September. In November or the begiuuing of December it agaiu enters its bed. The inundations produced by the rise appear to be most extensive along the lower part of its course, especially where the islands of Bilbos and Morfil occur.