The rope bridge over the river is still intact in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal and supports up to four people.
While living in exile in London, author André Laurie, pseudonym for politician Paschal Grousset (1845-1909), wrote the original version of the book which was later published as The Southern Star Mystery (1884). André Laurie legally renounced title to the story, rewritten and published by Jules Verne. Laurie and Verne would collaborate on at least two other novels. It was a strange collaboration, Laurie being politically a long way to the left of Verne.