LETTER XII.

FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME.

Harley-street, London, 5th May, 1801. My dear Sir,

I wrote you at considerable length on the 1st of June last, and assure you that none of your letters, received prior to that date, have remained unanswered. I have now to acknowledge the receipt of your several favours, and beg you to accept my best thanks, for your very curious and valuable present of the gold ring from Wangara, which has been shown to several persons of great distinction, and even to the king himself. _It is universally considered as a great curiosity_; and I have taken care to make it known that you are the person to whom I am indebted, for the first _Wangarian_ jewel that has ever been seen in England. I have also shown your letter, containing your judicious opinions upon the course of the Niger[110], and other geographical points, to Sir Joseph Banks and Major Rennell; and have invariably represented you to them, and to others, as the person possessing eminently the best information concerning the interior of Africa; an object which draws at present the earnest attention, both of the learned and the 104 great, and which our late victories in Egypt, render more peculiarly interesting.

[Footnote 110: See Jackson's account of Marocco, last chapter.]

I think, with you, it is probable there is a communication by water between Jinnie and Egypt; but I should rather imagine there is some large lake or Mediterranean sea, like the Caspian, for instance, into which the Niger may discharge itself from the west, and a branch of the Nile from the east. This idea seems to reconcile the opinions of ancient geographers, with those resulting from modern discoveries. If we should be able to effect the complete conquest of Egypt, and to retain that kingdom, much light will probably soon be acquired upon these interesting subjects. 105