Chapter 52

_Translation of a Letter from the Sultan, Seedi Muhamed Emperor of Marocco, to the Governor of Mogodor_.

"Praise be to God alone,

"I order my servant Alkaid Muhamed ben Amran, to deliver the treasure and the merchandise to the Christian merchants at Mogodor, which is in the possession of the Jews, Haim Miram, and Meemon ben Isaac Corcos, and others of the Jews, friends of the Christian merchants. God assist you, and peace be with you. 23d of the month Jumad Ellule, year of the Hejra 1203.

"By order of the Sultan, empowered by God. Written by Talb El Huderanie."

The courier who receives the letter is ordered by the minister whom to deliver it to. It is then inclosed in a blank leaf or sheet of paper, without any address, and not sealed. It is presumed, that the courier or messenger will not dare to open it, or discover the contents to any one; such a breach of confidence might cost him his head, if discovered. 406 _Doubts having been made in the Daily Papers, concerning the accuracy of the two following Translations of the Shereef Ibrahim's account of Mungo Park's Death; the following Observations, by the Author, are laid before the Public in elucidation of those Translations_.

The following is a copy of a letter, supposed to be a description of Mungo Park's death; brought to England from Ashantee in Africa, by Mr. Bowdich; and that gentleman assured me, about six months after his arrival in England, and a few days previous to the publication of his interesting account of a mission to Ashantee, that he had by every means in his power endeavoured, but ineffectually, to get this manuscript _decyphered_ and translated into English; that he had sent it to several persons, who had retained it in their hands a considerable time, but had returned it without a decypher, or even a complete translation. When delivered into my hands, I transmitted him a _decypher_, and a translation immediately. The following is my translation, which, in that gentleman's account of Ashantee, is coupled with another translation, _not perspicuous, but unintelligible_; for which see Bowdich's "Account of a Mission to Ashantee," Appendix, No. 2.

The original Arabic document, of which I have given a decypher in 407 the work before mentioned, is, (for the information of gentlemen desirous of referring to the same,) deposited in the British Museum. There are also, in the same work on Ashantee, several papers decyphered by me, of certain routes in Africa. Now I think it expedient here, to declare to the public, that whenever the British Government, the Court of Admiralty, or private individuals, have stood in need of translations, and decyphers from the Arabic, they have invariably found it expedient, ultimately, to apply to me for the same, after having, however, endeavoured ineffectually to procure their information at the Universities, the Post Office, and elsewhere: but as this declaration may appear to many incredible, I will mention three instances in elucidation of this my assertion, which, as they are all on record, will place this fact beyond doubt.

1st. A vessel under Marocco colours, was, during last war, taken by a British cruiser, and sent or brought into Plymouth, or other port, in England. The captain and the ship were detained a considerable time here; the former, at length, whose patience became exhausted, expostulated at his detention, and insisted on being released, if no interpreter in this commercial nation could be found competent to translate his passport. _Mr. Slade, an eminent proctor in Doctors' Commons_, then applied to me, after a detention of, I believe, two months, and I translated the passport. 408 Mr. Slade very liberally told me, that whatever I chose to charge for this service, which he had _sought in vain to accomplish_, should be gratefully paid. I charged five guineas; and it was instantly paid. The passport consisted of two lines and a half. This was in the Court of Admiralty. Mr. Slade, who is an honourable and respectable man, will of course not hesitate to corroborate the accuracy of this statement.

2d. A letter was written by the present Sultan Soliman, emperor of Marocco, &c. to our late revered sovereign, George III., in a more courteous style than is usual for Muhamedan potentates to write to Christian kings; with liberal offers on the part of the Sultan, courting an augmentation of friendly intercourse, &c. This letter (contrary to the usual courtesy of European courts) was neglected some months, no answer being returned to it. It was sent to the Universities for translation, but ineffectually; then to the Post Office; and, at the expiration of some months, it was accidentally transmitted to me, through the hands of the Right Honourable Spencer Perceval, at that time Chancellor of the Exchequer, and I delivered, at the request of that gentleman, a translation of it in English. This letter was ten or fifteen times as long as the passport before mentioned, and I charged thirty pounds for the service. But the Treasury thought ten pounds a sufficient remuneration, which I accepted!! 409 This service was rendered to the British government, and I have letters and documents in my possession, which corroborate this fact.

3d. Was the translation of an Arabic manuscript, respecting Mungo Park's death; delivered gratuitously to a private individual, viz. Mr. Bowdich, before mentioned; to satisfy the curiosity of my country, whose interest was excited respecting the fate of that enterprising and indefatigable African traveller. Mr. Bowdich, who is an honourable man, will undoubtedly confirm the truth of this statement, to any gentleman who may be desirous of ascertaining the fact.

_The Shereef Ibrahim's account of Mungo Park's Death_.

(THE AUTHOR'S TRANSLATION.)

"In the name of God, the Merciful and Clement!

"This narrative proceeds from the territory in Husa, called Eeaurie or Yeaurie. We observed an extraordinary event or circumstance, but we neither saw nor heard of the river which is called Kude. And as we were sitting we heard the voice of children; and we saw a vessel, the like to which in size we never saw before. And we saw the king of Eeaurie send cattle and sheep, and a variety of vegetables, in great abundance. And there were two men and one woman, and two slaves; and they tied them in the vessel. There were 410 also in the vessel two white men, of the race called Christians: and the Sultan of Eeaurie called aloud to them, to come out of the vessel, but they would not. They proceeded to the country of Busa, which is greater than that of the Sultan of Eeaurie. And as they were sitting in the vessel, they hung[232], or were stopped by the cape, or head-land of Kude."

[Footnote 232: Probably by an impetuous current.]

"And the people of the sultan of Busa called to them, and poured their arms into the vessel; and the vessel reached the head-land or cliff, and became attached or fixed to the head of the mountain or projection in the river, and could not pass it. Then the men and women of Busa collected themselves hostilely together, with arms of all descriptions; and the vessel being unable to clear the head-land, the man in the vessel killed his wife, and threw the whole of her property into the river; they then threw themselves into the river through fear. The news of this occurrence was then conveyed to the Sultan Wawee, until it reached, by water, the territory of Kanjee, in the country of the Sultan Wawee. And we buried it in its earth; and one of them we saw not at all in the water. And God knows the truth of this report from the mouth of the Shereef Ibrahim. The end."

411 OBSERVATION.

After giving the foregoing translation, it behoves me to inform the intelligent reader, that I wrote a letter to Mr. Bowdich, communicating to him my observations on several notes, transmitted to him by Sir William Ouseley, on the manuscript of which the foregoing is a translation, in which I informed him, that in decyphering the Arabic manuscript, I had observed the Oriental or Asiatic punctuation; knowing that Mr. Bulmer had not letters with the occidental punctuation. Several observations I made, respecting the Arabic manuscripts which could not be elucidated here without the Arabic type. I shall, therefore, omit them, and conclude by observing, that in translating this manuscript, two gentlemen (Arabic scholars) had translated _akkadan Fie Asfeena_, "two maids in the ship;" which words I have translated, "were tied or bound in the vessel:" the word _akkadan_ being the preterite of the verb _akkad_, to bind. I was not surprised to hear that _one_ translator had made such an interpretation; knowing that incredible errors have been frequently committed by professed Professors in the Hebrew language as well as in the Arabic. But when I heard, as I did, that another Arabic scholar had given a similar interpretation, I must confess that I was not a little surprised. However, a circumstance soon after unravelled the mystery; for I discovered that these two gentlemen, at a loss no doubt to 412 ascertain the meaning of _akkadan_, had referred to Richardson's Arabic Dictionary, wherein the word is quoted to signify, in a figurative sense, a virgin. _In a figurative sense!_ In translating an ill-written, illiterate, and ungrammatical manuscript, these two translators had had recourse to _rhetorical figures_, and actually substituted a trope for what was a verb, generally used in the West, signifying "to bind!"

As it has been asserted in the following extract, that my translation of the foregoing manuscript differs _only in a trifling degree_ from that of Mr. Abraham Salame, I here insert my answer to that assertion, leaving the intelligent reader to determine, whether they are alike or materially different.

_Extract from The Times, 3d May, 1819_.

MUNGO PARK.

The death of this enterprising traveller is now placed beyond any doubt. Many accounts of it have been received, and although varying as to the circumstances attending it, yet all agreeing that it has taken place. One statement was given to Mr. Bowdich, while on his mission to the King of the Ashantees, in 1817, by a Moor, who said that he was an eye-witness; and the same gentleman procured an Arabic manuscript declaratory of Mr. Park's death. This manuscript has been deposited with the African Association, formed for the 413 purpose of extending researches in that part of the world. Two translations have been made of this curious document; one by Mr. Salame, an Egyptian, who accompanied Viscount Exmouth in his attack on Algiers, as interpreter; and the other by Mr. Jackson, formerly consul at one of the Barbary courts. The following is Mr. Salame's translation, from which, however, _the one by Mr. Jackson only differs in a trifling degree_. The words in italics have been inserted by Mr. Salame, in order to render the reading more perfect, and are not in the original:--

_A literal Translation of a Declaration written in a corrupted Arabic, from the Town of Yaud, in the Interior of Africa_.

"'In the name of God, the merciful and the munificent. This declaration is issued from the town called Yaud, in the county of Kossa. We (the writer) do witness the _following_ case (statement.) We never saw, nor heard of the sea (river) called Koodd; but we sat to hear (understood) the voice (report) of some persons, _saying_, 'We saw a ship, equal to her we never saw before; and the King of Yaud had sent plenty of every kind of food, with cows and sheep; _there_ were two men, one woman, two male slaves, and two maids in the ship; _the_ two white men _were_ derived from the race (sect) 414 of Nassri (Christ, or Christianity.) The King of Yaud asked them to come out to him (to land); but they refused coming out (landing); and they went to the _King_ of the country of Bassa, who is greater than the King of Yaud; and _while_ they _were_ sitting in the ship, and gaining a position (rounding) over the Cape of Koodd, and _were_ in society with the people of the King of Bassa, the ship reached (struck) a head of mountain, which took (destroyed) _her_ away, and the men and women of Bassa all together, with every kind of arms (goods); and the ship could find no way to avoid the mountain; and the man who _was_ in the ship, killed his wife, and threw all his property into the sea (river), and _then_ they threw themselves _also_, from fear. Afterwards they took one _out of the_ water till the news reached the town of Kanji, the country of the King of Wawi; and the King of Wawi heard of it; he buried him in his earth (grave), and the other we have not seen; perhaps he is in the bottom of the water. And God knows best.' Authentic from the mouth of Sherif Abraham.--Finis.'

"In addition to the foregoing, another corroboration has been obtained. Lieut. Col. Fitzclarence, when on his voyage down the Mediterranean on board the _Tagus_ frigate, Capt. Dundas, with despatches from the Marquis of Hastings, learnt from the governor to the two sons of the Emperor of Marocco, who had been on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and were then returning home, that he (Hadjee 415 Tahib) had been at Timbuctoo in 1807, and had heard of _two white_ men, who came from the sea, having been near that place the year before; and that they sold beads, and had no money to purchase grain. This person added, that they went down the _Nile_ to the eastward, and that general report stated that they _died of the climate_. There can be little doubt but the _two white_ men here alluded to were Mr. Park and his companion, Lieutenant Martyn, who were at Sandsanding in Nov. 1805, and could, in the following year, have been near Timbuctoo. Sandsanding is the place from whence the last dispatches were dated by Mr. Park; and Amadi Fatouma, who was his guide afterwards, was sent to learn his fate, and returned with an account of Mr. Park being drowned. The statement of this person was, however, of such a nature as to excite suspicions of its correctness; and hopes were entertained that Mr. Park had not met with such an untimely fate. Fourteen years have now almost elapsed since the date of his last dispatches; and this circumstance is of itself sufficient to demonstrate, that he is to be added to the catalogue of those who have perished in their attempts to explore the interior of Africa.--_Englishman_."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH STATESMAN.

Sir;--Seeing in your Paper of yesterday a translation of the Arabic 416 manuscript respecting Mr. Mungo Park's death, which is deposited with the African Association, and _decyphered and transcribed by me_ in Mr. Bowdich's account of a Mission to Ashantee, p. 480, and perceiving that the errors in _that translation_ are thus propagated to the public through the medium of the London Papers; which although perhaps of little consequence to the general reader, yet, as they are of importance to the critic, and to the investigator of African affairs, I shall take the liberty of offering a few observations on the subject.

The following passage, in the translation above alluded to, might have passed the public eye without animadversion as the language of a foreigner, (as we have understood Mr. Salame to be,) but from the intelligent Editor of a London daily paper, might we not have expected more correct phraseology?[233]

[Footnote 233: "The phrases thus objected to by our learned Correspondent, were contained in the translations furnished to us in common with other papers, and not the language of the Editor. Indeed, this appears to be admitted by our Correspondent himself, in the apparently very just comments he has thus favoured us with.--EDITOR."]

"The ship reached a head of mountain which took her away, and the men and women of Bassa, altogether with every kind of arms, and the ship could find no way to avoid the mountain."

I have no hesitation in declaring to be incorrect the first two 417 lines of Mr. Abraham Salame's translation, inserted in your paper of yesterday, which runs thus:--

"_This declaration is issued from the town called YAUD, in the country of KOSSA_."

My translation of this passage, inserted in Mr. Bowdich's account of a Mission to Ashantee, page 478, runs thus:--

"_This narrative proceeds from the territory in HAUSA called ECAUREE_."

No one, I presume, will say that there is not a _manifest_ difference between these two translations--between _the town called Yaud, in the country of Kossa_, and the _territory of Hausa, called Ecauree_.

One of these translations must therefore necessarily be incorrect. The Arabic manuscript decyphered and transcribed by me, is inserted in Mr. Bowdich's work, page 480. Those who may feel interested in ascertaining which is the correct and precise translation, are requested to refer to the transcript above-mentioned, or to the original manuscript, in the possession of the African Association. As for myself, I presume I am right; and would submit the decision to the judgment of either Sir Gore Ousley, or to that of Sir William, or to the opinion of any Arabic scholar, to decide this question.

If, Mr. Editor, you had an Arabic type, to save the trouble of referring to the original, I should ask the Arabic scholar if it were possible for any man to translate the following passage in 418 that document:--"Bled Hausa eekalu Ecuree"--"the town called Yaud, in the country of Cossa;" whilst I should maintain that it would admit of no other translation but the following, viz.--"the country of Hausa, called Ecauree."

If you think this elucidation of the translation of the Manuscript of Park's death sufficiently interesting to the public to deserve a place in your intelligent paper, it is very much at your service.

From, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

JAMES GREY JACKSON,

Professor of African Languages, and formerly British Consul and Agent for Holland, Sweden, and Denmark, at Santa Cruz, South Barbary.[234]

_Circus, Minories, May 4._ 1819.

[Footnote 234: See BRITISH STATESMAN, May 6th, 1819.]

419

LETTERS RESPECTING AFRICA, FROM _J.G. JACKSON AND OTHERS._

_On the Plague._

To JAMES WILLIS, Esq. late Consul to Senegambia.

London, October 30, 1804.

My dear Sir,

Your letter reached my hands yesterday; but I am afraid I shall not be able to satisfy you in every enquiry which you have made relative to the plague in Barbary in 1799. I have, however, no doubt but the plague which has prevailed in Spain has originated from it. Some of the following observations may probably be of service to you.

It does not appear to be ascertained how the plague originated in Fas in the year 1799. Some persons have ascribed it to infected merchandise received at Fas from the East; whilst others maintain that the locusts which had infested Western Barbary during seven years, destroying the crops, the vegetables, and every green thing, even to the bark of the trees, produced such a scarcity, that the 420 poor could obtain scarcely any thing to eat but the locusts; and living on them for several months, till a most abundant crop enabled them to satisfy the cravings of nature, they ate abundantly of the new corn, which producing a fever, brought on the contagion. At this time the small-pox pervaded the country, and was generally fatal. The small-pox is thought to be the forerunner of this species of contagion, as appears by an ancient Arabic manuscript, which gives a full account of the same disorder having carried off two-thirds of the inhabitants of West Barbary about four hundred years since; but, however the dreadful epidemy originated, the leading features of the disorder were novel, and more dreadful than the common plague of Turkey, or that of Syria or Egypt, as the following observations will demonstrate.

In the month of April, 1799, a plague of the most dreadful kind manifested itself at the city of Old Fas, which soon after communicated itself to the new city. About this time the Emperor Muley Soliman ben Muhamed was preparing a numerous army, and was on the eve of departure to visit his Southern dominions, and to take possession of the province of Abda, which had not acknowledged him as Emperor, but was, as well as the port of Saffy, in a state of rebellion. The Emperor left Fas early in the summer, and proceeded to Sallee, Mazagan, and Saffee; thence to Marocco and Mogodor. Now the plague began to kindle in all the Southern provinces, first carrying off one or two the first day, three or four the second 421 day, six or eight the third day, and increasing progressively till it amounted to a daily mortality of two in a hundred of the whole population; continuing _with unabated violence_, ten, fifteen, twenty days, being of longer duration in old than in new towns; then diminishing in a progressive proportion from one thousand a-day, to nine hundred, to eight hundred and so continuing to decrease till it disappeared.

When it raged at the town of Mogodor, a small village (Deabet) situated two miles South-east of Mogodor remained uninfected, although the communication was open between these two places. On the thirty-fourth day after its first appearance at Mogodor, this village received the infection, where, after committing dreadful havock among the human species for twenty-one days carried off one hundred persons out of one hundred and thirty-three, the population of the village before the plague visited it. After this, none died; but those who were infected recovered, some losing the use of a leg, or an arm, or an eye.

Many similar circumstances might be mentioned relative to the numerous villages scattered about the extensive province of Haha, all which shared the like, or a worse fate. Travelling through this province after the plague had disappeared, I saw many ruins, which had been flourishing villages before the plague. Making enquiry concerning the population of these dismal remains of the 422 pestilence, I was informed, that one village contained six hundred inhabitants; that only four had escaped. Others, which had contained four and five hundred, had left seven or eight to lament the calamities they had suffered.

Whenever any families retired to the country, to avoid the infection; on returning to town, when apparently all infection had disappeared, they were generally attacked, and died. The destruction of the human species in the province of Upper and LowerSuse was much greater than elsewhere. The capital city of this province (Tarodant) lost, when the infection was at its _acme_, about eight hundred each day; the city of Marocco lost one thousand each day; the cities of Old and New Fas from twelve to fifteen hundred each day; insomuch, that, in these large towns, the mortality was such, that the living had not time to bury the dead: they were therefore thrown altogether into large holes, which were covered over when full of dead bodies.

Young and healthy robust persons were generally attacked first; then women and children; lastly, thin, sickly, and old people. _After the plague had totally subsided, we saw men, who had been common labourers, enjoying their thousands, and keeping horses, without knowing how to ride them. Provisions became extremely cheap, for the flocks and herds had been left in the fields, and had nobody now to own them. Day-labour increased enormously. Never 423 was equality in the human species more evident than at this time_. _When corn was to be ground, or bread made, both were done in the houses of the rich, and prepared by themselves; for the very few poor people whom the plague had spared were insufficient for the wants of the affluent, and they were consequently obliged to work for themselves_. The country being now depopulated, vast tribes of Arabs from the Desert poured into Suse and Draha; settling themselves on the river Draha and in Suse, and wherever they found little or no population.

The symptoms of the disorder varied in different patients; in some it manifested itself by a sudden shivering, in others by delirium, succeeded by a violent thirst. Cold water was drank eagerly by the imprudent, and generally proved fatal. Some had one, two, or three, some more biles, generally in the groin, under the arm, or near the breast; some had more. Some had no biles, nor any outward disfiguration; these were invariably carried off in less than twenty-four hours. I recommended Mr. Baldwin's remedy[235], applied according to his directions; and I do not know one instance of its failing, when properly applied, and sufficiently persevered in.

[Footnote 235: Of unction of the body with olive oil.]

I have no doubt but the epidemy, which has been ravaging Spain lately, is the same disorder with the one above described. We have been told that it was communicated originally to Spain by two 424 infected persons, who went from Tangier to Estapona, and eluded the vigilance of the guards. We have been assured that it was communicated by some persons infected, who landed in Spain from a vessel that had loaded produce at Laraich, in West Barbary. We have also been informed that a Spanish privateer, which had occasion to land its crew for water in some part of West Barbary, caught the infection, and afterwards went to Cadiz and communicated it to the town.

JAMES G. JACKSON.

_Death of Mungo Park_.

May, 1812.

The doubts which may have existed of the fate of this eminent man are now removed, by the certain accounts lately received from Goree, of his having perished, through the hostility of the natives, on one of the branches of the Niger. The particulars have been transmitted to Sir Joseph Banks, by Governor Maxwell, of Goree, who received them from Isaco[236], a Moor, sent inland by the Governor, for the purpose of enquiry. In a letter to Mr. Dickson, of Covent-garden, brother-in-law to Mr. Park, Sir Joseph thus writes:--

"I have read Isaco's translated journal; by which it appears, that 425 the numerous European retinue of Mungq Park quickly and miserably died, leaving, at the last, only himself and a Mr. Martyn. Proceeding on their route, they stopped at a settlement, from which, according to custom, they sent a present to the chief whose territory they were next to pass. This present having been treacherously withheld, the chief considered it, in the travellers, as a designed injury and neglect. _On their approaching, in a canoe, he assembled his people on a narrow channel of rocks[237], and assailed them so violently with arrows, that some of the rowers were killed_. This caused Mr. Park and Mr. Martyn to make an effort by swimming to reach the shore; in which attempt they both were drowned. The canoe shortly afterwards sunk, and only one hired native escaped. Every appurtenance also of the travellers was lost or destroyed, except a sword-belt which had belonged to Mr. Martyn, and which Isaco redeemed, and brought with him to Goree."

[Footnote 236: Isaco was a Jew, not a Moor.--J.G.J.]

[Footnote 237: There is a remarkable confirmation of this quotation from Sir Joseph's letter in Mr. _Jackson's_ translation of the Arabic manuscript of Mungo Park's death, for which see Bowdich's Account of a Mission to Ashantee, p. 480.; also Annals of Oriental Literature, No. I.]

_Death of Mr. Rontgen, in an Attempt to explore the Interior of Africa_.

May, 1812.

The young German gentleman of the name of Rontgen, who left England 426 about a twelve-month since for Africa, in order to prosecute discoveries in the interior of that country, has, it is said, been murdered by the Arabs, before he had proceeded any great distance from Mogodor, where he spent some time perfecting himself in the Arabic language. He was a promising young man, and an enthusiast in the cause in which he was lost, and supposed to understand the Arabic language better than any European who ever before entered Africa. At an early age he formed the plan of going to that country, and gave up his connections and a competency in Germany, to prosecute his intentions. His father was a character well known in Europe, who raised himself from obscurity to the greatest celebrity by his talent for mechanics. He was at one time worth a million, but was ruined by the French revolution.

_The following Letter from James Willis, Esq. late Consul to Senigambia, is extracted from the Gentleman's Magazine for May, 1812_.

COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE WITH AFRICA.

May 5. 1812.

At a time when our ancient rivals and enemies are exerting all their powers to destroy the British commerce, and have nearly effected their gigantic schemes of cutting off all communication between Great Britain and the various ports, states, and kingdoms of Europe; at such a time when we are in imminent danger of losing 427 the markets of a quarter of the globe, it becomes essentially important to discover other channels for our commerce, and other markets for our manufactures.

In this point of view, the information lately communicated to the public by Mr. James Grey Jackson, in his "Travels in Africa," becomes highly interesting to the statesman as well as to the merchant. From the account which he has given of the city of Timbuctoo, and its commercial relations, there is great reason to conclude, that if we could find means to open and maintain a safe and easy communication with that great emporium, and with the rich, fertile, and populous regions in its vicinity, we might acquire a market for our manufactures, that would in time compensate for the loss of that of Europe.

In the warehouses of Timbuctoo, are accumulated the manufactures of India and of Europe; and from thence the immense population that dwells upon the banks of the Niger is supplied. There is no doubt that we could furnish the articles they want, upon much lower terms than they can obtain them at present; and, in return, we should furnish the best market they could have for their gold, ivory, gums, and other rich products, and raw materials.

Now, it certainly appears to me, and I think it must appear to every man who takes the trouble of investigating the subject, that, provided Government would give proper support to the enterprise, this important communication might easily be established. _For this 428 purpose, nothing more is necessary than to take a fortified station upon the African coast, somewhere about the 29th degree of north latitude, near the confines of the Marocco dominions, to serve as a safe magazine or emporium for merchandize. From this station it would be easy to maintain a direct correspondence with the opulent merchants of Timbuctoo; regular caravans might be established to depart at fixed periods; the protection of the Arabs can at all times be purchased at stipulated prices, which may be considered as premiums of insurance, or as a tax for convoy_, and thus in a little time these caravans might carry out merchandize, to and from Timbuctoo, with as much regularity and safety, and with less expense, than our fleets convey our goods to and from the West Indies.

The expense of such a fortified station as is here proposed, would be very moderate, in comparison with the advantages it would produce; and it would be easy to draw out a plan for it; but I do not think it would be proper to go into a detail here,--_"non est hic locus."_

It has been well observed, that commerce is the key of Africa; and I shall only add, that if the plan I have suggested were carried into execution, these interesting regions of Africa, that have heretofore baffled the attempts of curiosity and enterprise, and remained for so many ages a "sealed book" to the inhabitants of Europe, would soon be explored and laid open. This is an object 429 that cannot be indifferent to a prince, who has so evidently evinced a desire to patronise science, and who is undoubtedly desirous to encourage, to facilitate, and to increase, still further the vast geographical discoveries which have added such lustre to the reign of his august father.

To return to Mr. Jackson's book. This work contains, besides the information that more directly concerns the statesman and the merchant, much interesting matter for the natural and moral philosopher, as well as for the general reader. The author makes no pretension to fine writing; his style is plain, unaffected, and perspicuous, and there is as much new, authentic, and important matter in the book, as in the hands of the French writers of African travels, (Golberry, Vaillant, and Savary, for instance,) would have been spread over three times the space. Upon the whole, it is the most valuable work of the kind that has appeared for many years. I hope the author will reap the reward which his labours have so well deserved.

JAMES WILLIS.

_Of the Venomous Spider.--Charmers of Serpents.--Disease called Nyctalopia, or Night-blindness.--Remedy for Consumption in Africa.--Western Branch of the Nile, and Water Communication between Timbuctoo and Egypt_.

Sir,

The venomous spider (_Tendaraman_). This beautiful reptile is somewhat similar to a hornet in size and colour, but of a rounder 430 form; its legs are about an inch long, black, and very strong; it has two bright yellow lines, latitudinally crossing its back; it forms its web octagonally between bushes, the diameter being two or three yards; it places itself in the centre of its web, which is so fine, as to be almost invisible, and attaches to whatever may pass between those bushes. It is said to make always towards the head, before it inflicts its deadly wound. In the cork forests, the sportsman, eager in his pursuit of game, frequently carries away on his garments the _tenderaman_, whose bite is so poisonous, that the patient survives but a few hours.

Charmers of serpents (_Aisawie_).--These _Aisawie_ have a considerable sanctuary at Fas. They go to Suse in large bodies about the month of July to collect serpents, which they pretend to render harmless by a certain form of words, incantation, or invocation to _Seedy ben Aisah_, their tutelary saint. They have an annual feast, at which time they dance and shake their heads quickly, during a certain period, till they become giddy, when they run about the towns frantic, attacking any person that may have a black or dark dress on; they bite, scratch, and devour any thing that comes in their way. They will attack an _unjumma_, or portable fire, and tear the lighted charcoal to pieces with their hands and mouths. I have seen them take the serpents, which they carry about, and devour them alive, the blood streaming down their clothes. The 431 incredible accounts of their feats would fill a volume; the following observations may suffice to give the reader an idea of these extraordinary fanatics. The _buska_ and the [238]_el effah_ are enticed out of their holes by them; they handle them with impunity, though their bite is ascertained to be mortal; they put them into a cane basket, and throw it over their shoulders: these serpents they carry about the country, and exhibit them to the people. I have seen them play with them, and suffer them to twist round their bodies in all directions, without receiving any injury from them. I have often enquired how they managed to do this, but never could get any direct or satisfactory answer; they assure you, however, that faith in their saint, and the powerful influence of the name of the divinity, (_Isim Allah_,) enables them to work these miracles: they maintain themselves in a miserable way, by donations from the spectators before whom they exhibit. This art of fascinating serpents was known by the ancient Africans, as appears from the _Marii_ and _Psilii_, who were Africans, and showed proofs of it at Rome.

[Footnote 238: For a description of these deadly serpents, see Jackson's Account of Marocco, &c. chapter on Zoology.]

_Bu Telleese Nyctalopia_.--This ophthalmic disease is little known in the northern provinces; but in Suse and Sahara it prevails. A defect of vision comes on at dusk, but without pain; the patient is 432 deprived of sight, so that he cannot see distinctly, even with the assistance of candles. During my residence at Agadeer, a cousin of mine was dreadfully afflicted with this troublesome disease, losing his sight at evening, and continuing in that state till the rising sun. A Deleim Arab, a famous physician, communicated to me a sovereign remedy, which being extremely simple, I had not sufficient faith in his prescription to give it a trial, till reflecting that the simplicity of the remedy was such as to preclude the possibility of its being injurious, it was applied inwardly; and twelve hours afterwards, to my astonishment, the boy's eyes were perfectly well, and continued so during twenty-one days, when I again had recourse to the same remedy, and it effected a cure, on one administration, during thirty days, when it again attacked him; the remedy was again applied with the same beneficial effect as before.

_Offer to discover the African Remedy for Nyctalopia, or Night Blindness_.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE LITERARY PANORAMA.)

Sir,

Having read your animadversions on the additional matter introduced in my second edition of an "Account of Marocco, Timbuctoo," &c. (see Literary Panorama for April last, p. 713.) wherein you 433 conceive that I am reprehensible for not having discovered publicly the remedy alluded to as an infallible cure to the _Butellise_ or _Nyctalopia_, I should observe that I was not apprised, (till I read those animadversions,) that this was a disorder incident to the inhabitants in Europe, or that it affected our seamen on the Mediterranean station. But, if that be the case, and it should be found expedient and beneficial to the interests of Great Britain, that this remedy should be divulged for the alleviation of our meritorious seamen in His Majesty's service, I am willing to make the discovery to any respectable medical man who may be appointed by Government as physician or surgeon on the Mediterranean station.

JAMES G. JACKSON.

May 18. 1812.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LITERARY PANORAMA.

Circus, Minories, June 21. 1815.

Sir,

I request you will contradict in your next publication the assertion of my _decease_, which is calculated to injure considerably my interests abroad as a merchant. (Vide your Review of Parke's Travels, page 377.) In answer to this unfounded information, which has been propagated in your review of last month, I have to acquaint you that I am not only in the land of the living, but in excellent health, and waiting to hear the testimony 434 of some stranger or European traveller (since the Africans are not to be relied on), who shall establish the fact of _the junction of the Nile of Sudan with that of Egypt; or at least, the approximation of these two mighty streams_. And notwithstanding _the_ insidious reflections and censures passed on the native Africans, from whom I gathered much of the information communicated to the public in my account of Marocco, it must be allowed by all liberal-minded men, that a native is more likely to give an accurate account of his country than a foreigner; and a residence of sixteen years in a country may be allowed to give a man of common observation experience enough to select judiciously such intelligence as might be relied on; and I have no hesitation in declaring it to be my unalterable opinion, that _so soon as a traveller shall have returned from the interior of Africa, many of my assertions respecting those regions will be confirmed_, and that information founded on the testimony of unprejudiced and disinterested Africans, will be found not so contemptible as some learned persons have imagined.

JAMES G. JACKSON. 435

_Critical Observations on Abstracts from the Travels of Ali Bey, and Robert Adams, in the Quarterly Journal of Literature, Science, and the Arts, edited at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, Vol. I. No. II. page 264_.

London, Dec. 19. 1817.

In the discussion on Aly Bey's Travels, in the Journal of Science and the Arts, above mentioned, p. 270. are the following words:--

"Aly Bey has added, in a separate chapter, all the information he received, respecting a mediterranean sea, from a merchant of Marocco, of the name of Sidi Matte Buhlal, who had resided many years at Timbuctoo, and in other countries of Sudan or Nigritia, the most material of which was, that Tombut is a large town, very trading, and inhabited by Moors and Negroes, and was at the same distance from the Nile Abid, (or Nile of the Negroes, or Niger,) as Fez is from Wed Sebu, that is to say, _about three hundred English miles_."

As this passage is quoted from Aly Bey, by the first literary society of Great Britain, and is, therefore, calculated to create a doubt of the accuracy of what I have said, respecting the distance of the Nile El Abeed from Timbuctoo, in the enlarged editions of my account of Marocco, &c. page 297. I consider it a duty which I owe 436 to my country and to myself, not to let this sentence pass through the press without submitting to the public my observations on the subject.

Sidi Matte Buhlal is a native of Fas: the name is properly Sidi El Mattie Bu Hellal. This gentleman is one out of twenty authorities from whom I derived the information recorded in my account of Marocco, respecting Timbuctoo and the interior of Africa; his whole family, which is respectable and numerous, are among the first Timbuctoo merchants that have their establishments at Fas. I should, however, add, that among the many authorities from whom I derived my information relative to Timbuctoo, there were two muselmen in particular,--merchants of respectability and intelligence, who came from Timbuctoo to Santa Cruz, soon after _I opened that port to Dutch commerce, in the capacity of agent of Holland, by order of the then Emperor of Marocco, Muley Yezzid_, brother and predecessor of the present Emperor Soliman. These two gentlemen had resided at Timbuctoo, and in other parts of Sudan, fifteen years, trading during the whole of that period with Darbeyta, on the coast of the Red Sea, with Jinnie, Housa, Wangara, Cashna, and other countries of the interior, from whom, and from others, equally intelligent and credible, I procured my information respecting the _mediterranean sea in the interior of Africa, called El Bahar Assudan, i.e. the Sea of Sudan_, situated fifteen days' 437 journey east of Timbuctoo. These two muselmen merchants had amassed considerable fortunes at Timbuctoo, and were on their journey to Fas, their native place; but in consequence of a civil war at that time raging throughout West Barbary, particularly in the province of Haha, through which it was indispensable that they should pass, on their way to Fas, they sojourned with me two months; after which they departed for Fas with a caravan.

These intelligent Moors gave me much information respecting Timbuctoo, and the interior countries where they had resided; they sold me many articles of Sudanic manufacture, among which were three pieces of fine cotton cloth, manufactured at Timbuctoo, and some ornaments of pure gold _in or molu_, of exquisite workmanship, of the manufacture of Jinnie; one of these pieces of Timbuctoo manufacture, of cotton interwoven with silk, of a square blue-and-white pattern, dyed with _indigo of Timbuctoo_, I had the honour to present to the British Museum, in April, 1796[239], where it is now deposited.

[Footnote 239: This piece of cloth, about two yards wide and five long, I had the honour of offering to Sir Joseph Banks, who declined receiving it; but at the same time suggested that it was a manufacture deserving public notice, and would be considered an acceptable present by the British Museum.]

I have been led into this digression from certain insinuations that have been[240] insidiously propagated, reflecting on the accuracy 438 of my statements respecting the interior of Africa; and I must add, that I always have felt, and still feel confident, that in proportion as we shall become more acquainted with the interior of this unexplored continent, my account will be so much the more authenticated: my confidence in this opinion, (however dogmatical it may appear,) is founded on the original and intelligent sources of my information; on a long residence and general acquaintance with all the principal inhabitants of West Barbary, whose connections lay in Sudan, and at Timbuctoo; in a competent knowledge and practical acquaintance with the languages of North Africa, and a consequent ability to discriminate the accuracy of the sources of my intelligence.

[Footnote 240: See my letter to the editor of the Monthly Magazine, for March, 1817; page 125.]

This being premised, I now proceed to offer to the public my animadversions on the above quotation from the Journal of Science and the Arts.

I have actually crossed the Wed Sebu, or the River Sebu, alluded to in the above quotation, which passes through the Berebber Kabyl of Zimure Shelleh; I have crossed the same river several times at the city of Mequinez, and also at Meheduma, where it enters the Atlantic Ocean, in lat. 34 deg. 15' north, and from this experimental knowledge of the course of that river, I can affirm, with confidence, that it is not inaccurately laid down in my map of West Barbary[241], and that it is not three hundred English miles from 439 Fas, but only six English miles from that city. I can also assert, from incontestable testimony, that Tombut, or Timbuctoo, is[242] not three hundred miles from the Nile El Abeed, but only about twelve English miles from that stream, the latter being south of the town.

[Footnote 241: For which see page 55.]

[Footnote 242: Vide Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, &c. p. 297.]

Respecting the following passage in the above quoted Journal of Science and the Arts, p. 272, "This river contains the fierce animals called _Tzemsah_, which devour men," I shall only observe, that _Tzemsah_ is the word in Arabic which denominates the _crocodile_. Farther on, in the same page, we have the words,--"We must suppose that the Joliba makes at this spot a strange winding, which gives to the inhabitants of Marocco the opinion they express." This supposed winding is actually asserted to exist, and is denominated by the Arabs[243] _El Kose Nile_, i.e. the arch or curve of the Nile, and is situated between the cities of Timbuctoo and Jinnie.

[Footnote 243: Idem, note, p. 305.]

I should here adduce some further testimony respecting the course of the Nile El Abeed; but as the quotation from Aly Bey in the above Journal of Sciences and the Arts, page 271. asserts it to be towards the east, and again, in page 272. declares it to be towards the west, such incoherence, I presume, requires no confutation. I consider that it originates from Moorish inaccuracy. 440 The _La Mar Zarak_ of Adams, if any such river exists, may be a corruption of _Sagea el Humra_, i.e. the Red Stream, a river in the southern confines of Sahara, nearly in the same longitude with Timbuctoo. This river the late Emperor of Marocco, Muley Yezzid, announced as the southern boundary of his dominions; but from the accounts which I have had of it, it was not of that magnitude which Adams ascribes to the Mar Zarak, nor was it precisely in the neighbourhood of Timbuctoo, when I was a resident in South Barbary: rivers, however, _which pass through sandy or desert districts_, often change their courses in the space of twenty-four hours, by the drifting of the moving sands impelled by the wind; instances of which I have myself often witnessed.

If this river proceeded from the Desert, it might have had the name of _El Bahar Sahara_, i.e. the River of Sahara; the word _La Mar_ is a lingua franca, or corrupt Spanish word, signifying the sea, and might have been used to this poor sailor by a native to make it the more intelligible to him. Many Spanish words having crept into the Arabic vocabulary, and are occasionally used by those Africans who have had intercourse with Europeans.

441 The next passage for animadversion is as follows:--

"The state in which he represented Timbuctoo, and its being the residence of a Negro sovereign, instead of a muselman."

The state in which he has represented Timbuctoo, is, I think, extremely inaccurate; and being a slave, it is more than probable, that he was placed in a Fondaque[244], or Caravansera, belonging to the King, which he _mistook_ for his palace; but that his narrative should be deemed inaccurate, because he has described the town of Timbuctoo to be under the sovereignty of a Negro prince, is to me incomprehensible.

[Footnote 244: Vide Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocoo, &c. p. 298.]

The various sources of information that I have investigated, uniformly declare that sovereign to be a Negro, and that his name in the year 1800, was Woolo. This account, it appears, is confirmed by Adams, who says,[245] Woolo was King of Timbuctoo in 1810, and that he was then old and grey-headed. Some years after the above period, Riley's Narrative, epitomised in Leyden's Discoveries and Travels in Africa, vol. i., _speaking of the King of Timbuctoo, says, this sovereign is a very large, old, grey-headed black man_, called _Shegar_, which means Sultan. This, however, I must observe is a misinterpretation of the word _Shegar_, which is an African-Arabic word, and signifies _red or carrotty_, and is a word applicable to his physiognomy; but certainly not to his rank:--_Abd 442 Shegar_, a carrotty or red Negro. If these two testimonies, since 1800, be correct, then the _anachronism_ of which I am accused in the New Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica, (title Africa,) is misapplied.

[Footnote 245: Since publishing this letter, Mr. Bowdich, in his Account of Ashantee, pages 194, 195, says, Woolo was King of Timbuctoo in 1807, or ten years before Mr. Bowdich was at Ashantee.]

Many of this king's civil officers, however, in 1800, were muselmen; but the military were altogether Negroes.

However fervent the zeal of Muhamedanism may be at Timbuctoo, it is not, I imagine, sufficient to convert the Negroes, who have not the best opinion of the Muhamedan tenets. The Negroes, however, are disposed to abjure idolatry for any other form of religion that they can be persuaded to think preferable, or that holds out a better prospect; a convincing proof of which has been seen by the readiness of the Africans of Congo and Angola, to renounce their idolatry for the Christian faith, by the conversion of thousands to that faith by the indefatigable zeal of the catholic missionaries, when the Portuguese first discovered those countries, and which, if the Sovereign of Portugal had persevered with that laudable zeal with which he began to promote the conversion of the Africans, the inhabitants of those extensive and populous countries might, at this day, have been altogether members of the Christian church!! 443 _On the Junction of the Nile of Egypt with the Nile of Timbuctoo, or of Sudan_.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE.[246]

[Footnote 246: Inserted in March, 1817.]

Sir,

London, Jan. 25. 1817.

Having read some annotations, in the Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, by Mungo Park, in 1805, which are calculated to persuade some persons, that my Account of the Interior of Africa is not altogether authentic, I feel myself called upon to offer some cursory observations to the public, in refutation of those aspersions. (Vide Appendix, No. IV. to Mungo Park's Second Journey, in 1805, pages 114. and 115.)

Although I assert, on the concurrent testimony of the best informed and most intelligent natives of Sudan, that there exists a [247]water communication between Timbuctoo and Cairo, I do not maintain that the [248]Nile of Sudan falls into the [249]Nile of Egypt, but that it hath a communication with it, or with some river 444 that connects itself with the Nile of Egypt, which opinion is confirmed by Mr. Hornemann, on African authority.

[Footnote 247: Vide Jackson's Marocco, second or third edition, page 310.]

[Footnote 248: (_Nile el Kabeer_) the Great Nile, (_Bahar el Abeed_, or _Nile el Abeed_) the Nile of Slaves or Negroes, (_Nile Sudan_) the Nile of Sudan or Nigritia, are the various names applied to the river that passes by Timbuctoo, and through the interior of Sudan, from west to east.]

[Footnote 249: _Nile Masser_ is the name applied to the Nile of Egypt.]

It is very probable that this junction is formed by a stream that flows westward towards Wangara through the country called [250] Bahar Kulla, and Lake Dwi, from the source of the Nile of Egypt, or from that part of the Jibbel Kumri, or Lunar Mountains, which form the southern boundary of Donga.

If this be so, the junction of the Nile el Abeed, of Timbuctoo, and the Bahar el Aheaed of Donga[251], (or more properly the Bahar el Abeed,) is established, and the water communication between Timbuctoo and Cairo is proved; admitting, however, that the Negroes reported by me to have performed the[252] voyage by water, took their boat or canoe ashore, to ascend the cataracts, in the country between Wangara and Donga.

[Footnote 250: _Bahar Kulla_ is an Arabic term, signifying the sea altogether, implying an alluvial country, (probably forming a part of the mediterranean sea of central Africa). See Major Rennel's Map in the Proceedings of the African Association, vol. i. 8vo. page 209. lat. N. 10 deg., long. 18 deg..]

[Footnote 251: Vide Major Kennel's Map in the Proceedings of the African Association, 8vo. edition, vol. i. page 209.]

[Footnote 252: Vide Jackson's Marocco, second or third edition, page 312.]

Mr. Park's annotator, in the spirit of controversy with which he appears to be endued, may say, the fact of this stream running to 445 the west towards Wangara, cannot be admitted, because Mr. Browne saw a ridge of mountains extending in that direction; but Mr. Browne did not ascertain that this was an uninterrupted ridge; the river might therefore pass through some chasm similar to that which I have seen in crossing the Atlas Mountains, or through some intermediate plain.

The annotator further says[253], "It is needless to comment upon such hearsay statements, received from an African traveller." This assertion being calculated to impress on the public mind, that I founded my hypothesis respecting the junction of the Niles of Africa on the simple and single statement of one individual African traveller; I feel it incumbent on me thus publicly to declare, that _the junction alluded to is founded on the universal and concurrent testimony of all the most intelligent and well informed native African travellers_ (for the most part natives of Sudan), not one of whom differed in this opinion, but unanimously declared it to be an uncontroverted fact, that the waters of the Nile of Egypt joined the waters of the Nile el Abeed, which passes near Timbuctoo to the east; and that there exists, without a doubt, a water communication between Cairo in Egypt, and Timbuctoo in Sudan. Now, if, as M. de Bailly observes, "_la verite se fait connaitre par le concours des 446 temoignages_," it must be admitted, by men of liberal sentiments, that it is somewhat more than a hearsay statement; and what better foundation can there possibly be for the truth of any geological fact, than the concurrent testimony of the best-informed natives of the country described?

[Footnote 253: Vide Appendix, No. IV. to Park's Second Journey page 115.]

With respect to precision being unfavourable to authenticity[254], I consider this a new dogma; and if I were disposed to confute it, (but it carries with it its own confutation,) I should point out many hearsay evidences, precisely recorded in my Account of Marocco, which have been confirmed already by Ali Bey (El Abassy) and many others; but "_non est hic locus_."

J.G. JACKSON.

[Footnote 254: Vide Appendix, No. II. to Park's Second Journey page 103.]

_Strictures respecting the Interior of Africa, and Confirmation of Jackson's Account of Sudan, annexed to his Account of the Empire of Marocco, &c._

London, 16th Jan, 1818.

It is a satisfaction to perceive (after a lapse of eight or nine years since the publication of my account of Marocco and the interior of Africa), that in proportion as we are becoming better acquainted with the interior of that continent, my account becomes more authenticated, notwithstanding the attempts that have been so 447 insidiously made to invalidate it.

The various hypotheses, for the most part founded in theory, that have within the last seven years, been adopted respecting the course of the _Nile el Abeed_ (Niger), are beginning now to fall to the ground, and the learned and judicious editor of the Supplement to the New Encyclopedia Britannica, founding his opinions, as it should seem, upon the facts that have been corroborated respecting the interior of Africa, has actually adopted my opinion;[255] viz.

That there is an union of waters between the Nile of Egypt, and that of Sudan[256]; where the common receptacle is, I have not ventured to declare, but it is probable that it may be in the Bahar Kulla[257], in Wangara, or in the [258]Sea of Sudan; the opinion that the junction is formed in the Sea of Sudan is supported by the Shereef Imhammed, who saw the Nile at Cashna, and declared that it was so rapid there from east to west, that vessels could not stem it.

[Footnote 255: See my letter to the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, vol. xliii. March, 1817, page 125.]

[Footnote 256: It is incorrect to say, that the word _Nile_ is applied, in Africa, to any great river: the name, I can with confidence declare, is never applied to any river in North Africa, except the Nile of Egypt, and that of Sudan; whoever has propagated this opinion has mistaken the matter altogether. See Proceedings of the African Association, vol. i. page 540.]

[Footnote 257: See Major Rennell's Map of North Africa, lat. north 6 deg., long, west 18 deg., &c.]

[Footnote 258: See Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, Timbuctoo, &c. page 310.]

448 Again: Parke's intelligence, in his second journey, demonstrates an union of waters in the (Baseafeena[259]) Sea of Sudan; for he says, the current was said to be sometimes one way, and sometimes another; which I will take the liberty to interpret thus:--

That the current from the Eastern Nile, was westward into the Sea of Sudan, and the current of the Western Nile was eastward into the same sea of Sudan: thus the current would be sometimes one way, and sometimes another, making the Sea of Sudan the common receptacle for the Eastern as well as for the Western Nile.

Ptolemy's Sea of Nigritia is undoubtedly the same with my Sea of Sudan; _Lybia Palus_[260] being the Latin denomination, as _Bahar Sudan_ is the Arabic for the interior lake called the Sea of Sudan; but whether this sea of Sudan will ultimately prove to be situated[261] as I have described it, fifteen journies[262] east of Timbuctoo, or 450 English miles, or as Ptolemy has described it, or in the intermediate distance between the two extremes, must be left for future travellers to ascertain.

[Footnote 259: Another name for the Sea of Sudan, as will hereafter appear.]

[Footnote 260: See Ptolemy's Map of North Africa.]

[Footnote 261: See Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, page 310.]

[Footnote 262: Fifteen journies horse travelling, which are the journies here alluded to, at thirty miles a-day, is 450 British miles.]

The enterprising and indefatigable, the patient and persevering genius of Burkhardt, deriving incalculable advantages from a long 449 residence in the eastern regions of Africa, may probably decree him to be the person to clear up this long-contested geographical point, unless the fascination of Arabian manners, or some Utopia in the interior regions of that continent, should wean him from the desire to re-visit his native country.

This intelligence of Park may be considered some corroboration of what I have maintained respecting the union of waters between the Eastern and Western Niles.[263]

The following testimonies are some confirmation of my report respecting decked vessels, &c. in the interior of Africa.[264]

Dr. Stetzen, a German physician residing at Alexandria[265], says, that he has received intelligence from a pilgrim, on his way to Mecca, a native of _Ber Noh,_ or _Bernou_[266], that the river within a mile of the city is as large as the Egyptian Nile, and overflows its banks; _it is navigated by vessels of considerable dimensions, carrying sails and oars._

[Footnote 263: See Monthly Magazine, March, 1817, page 125.]

[Footnote 264: See Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, &c. page 309.]

[Footnote 265: For full particulars, see New Supp. to Ency. Brit. article "Africa."]

[Footnote 266: This Bernou, or according to the Arabic orthography, _Ber Noh_, is asserted by the Arabs to be the birth-place of the Patriarch Noah.]

Mr. Barnes states, that the Niger discharges itself into a large lake; that he has heard from the Black traders that there are white 450 inhabitants upon the borders of this lake; and has been told, by people who have seen them, that they dress in the style of Barbary Moors, and wear turbans, but do not speak Arabic. See Report of Committee of Council.[267]

[Footnote 267: See Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, &c. p, 309.]

Park, in his second journey, was informed, that "one month's travel south of Baedo, through the kingdom of Grotto, will bring the traveller to the country of the Christians, who have their houses on the banks of the _Ba Seafeena_[268], which they describe as incomparably larger than the lake Dehebby (Dibbie)."--This is another corroboration of the accuracy of my account of the interior of Africa; but before I dismiss this subject, I should observe, that from the general ignorance of the African Arabic, an important circumstance respecting this _Ba Seafeena_, is not yet (it appears) discovered. It is this:--the words _Ba Seafeena_, or, according to the correct Arabic orthography, _Bahar Sefeena_, literally translated into English, signifies the Sea of Ships, and is evidently only another name for the Sea of Sudan, declaring it to be a sea wherein ships are found!

[Footnote 268: See New Supp. to Ency. Brit. article "Africa."]

Here then are two topographical facts first asserted by me, among the moderns, to exist in the heart of Africa, and since confirmed by Ali Bey, Park, and Dr. Sietzen, or, as the enlightened editor of the Supplement to the New Encyclopedia Britt. observes,

451 "We have thus three independent testimonies[269] from opposite quarters, meeting exactly in the same point; nor does there, as far as we know, exist any evidence _at all respectable_ to the contrary."

[Footnote 269: The testimonies here alluded to are Hornman, Park, and Jackson.]

It now remains for me to declare (that as opinions have been industriously propagated tending to discredit my account of Marocco, and the interior of Africa,) that nothing has been set down therein, until I had previously investigated the qualifications of the narrators, their means of knowledge, and whether the respective vocations of the several narrators made it their interest to disguise or misrepresent the truth of their communications; and, after ascertaining these important points, I have generally had recourse to other testimonies, and have seldom recorded any thing until confirmed by three or four _concurrent_ evidences: on this _pyramidical basis_ is founded the intelligence in my account of Marocco, and of the interior of Africa, annexed to that account.

This assertion is to be understood in respect to intelligence that I could not ascertain by ocular demonstration.

Finally, my description of the black heartheaded serpent, called 452 Bouska[270], has been doubted; but a late traveller[271] has confirmed the accuracy of my account; even of this extraordinary animal.--In Riley's Narrative of his Shipwreck on the 453 Coast of Sahara is given an account of an exhibition by two _Isawie_[272], who do not appear to have been adepts in the art of 454 fascinating these serpents; for I have frequently seen them manage 455 and charm the _Bouska_ much more adroitly than those who exhibited at Rabat before Riley, although its bite is more deadly, and its strength considerably greater, than that of the _El Effah!_

[Footnote 270: See Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, &c. p. 109.]

[Footnote 271: "I paid two dollars for a station, and I looked into the room without interruption. It was about twenty feet long, and fifteen broad, paved with tiles and plastered within. The windows had also been secured by an additional grating made of wire, in such a manner as to render it impossible for the serpents to escape from the room: it had but one door, and that had a hole cut through it six or eight inches square: this hole was also secured by a grating. In the room stood two men, who appeared to be Arabs, with long bushy hair and beards; and I was told they were a particular race of men, that could charm serpents.

"A wooden box, about four feet long and two wide, was placed near the door, with a string fastened to a slide at one end of it; this string went through a hole in the door. The two serpent-eaters were dressed in haiks only, and those very small ones. After they had gone through their religious ceremonies most devoutly, they appeared to take an eternal farewell of each other: this done, one of them retired from the room, and shut the door tight after him. The Arab within seemed to be in dreadful distress. I could observe his heart throb, and his bosom heave most violently: and he cried out very loudly, "_Allah houakiber_", three times; which is, as I understood it, _God have mercy on me_.[273]

"The Arab was at the farthest end of the room: at that instant the cage was opened, and a serpent crept out slowly; he was: about four feet long, and eight inches in circumference; his colours were the most beautiful in nature, being bright, and variegated with a deep yellow, a purple, a cream colour, black and brown, spotted, &c. As soon as he saw the Arab in the room, his eyes, which were small and green, kindled as with fire; he erected himself in a second, his head two feet high; and darting on the defenseless Arab, seized him between the folds of his haik, just above his right hipbone, hissing most horribly; the Arab gave a horrid shriek, when another serpent came out of the cage. This last was black, very shining, and appeared to be seven or eight feet long, but not more than two inches in diameter: as soon as he had cleared the cage, he cast his _red fiery eyes_ on his intended victim, thrust out his forked tongue, _threw himself into a coil, erected his head, which was in the centre of the coil_, three feet from the floor, and flattening out the skin above his head and eyes, in the form, and nearly of the size of a human heart, and springing like lightning on the Arab, struck its fangs into his neck near the jugular vein, while his tail and body flew round his neck and arms in two or three folds. The Arab set up the most hideous and piteous yelling, foamed and frothed at the mouth, grasping the folds of the serpent, which were round his arms with his right hand, and seemed to be in the greatest agony, striving to tear the reptile from around his neck, while with his left he seized hold of it near its head, but could not break its hold: by this time the other had turned itself around his legs, and kept biting all around the other parts of his body, making apparently deep incisions: the blood, issuing from every wound (both in his neck and body,) streamed all over his haik and skin. My blood was chilled in my veins with horror at this sight, and it was with difficulty my legs would support my frame.

"Notwithstanding the Arab's greatest exertions to tear away the serpents with his hands, they turned themselves still tighter, stopped his breath, and he fell to the floor, where he continued for a moment, as if in the most inconceivable agony, rolling over, and covering every part of his body with his own blood and froth, until he ceased to move, and appeared to have expired. In his last struggle, he had wounded the black serpent with his teeth, as it was striving, as it were, to force its head into his mouth, which wound Footnote: seemed to increase its rage. At this instant I heard the shrill sound of a whistle, and looking towards the door saw the other Arab applying a call to his mouth: the serpents listened to the music, their fury seemed to forsake them by degrees, they disengaged themselves leisurely from the apparently lifeless carcase, and creeping towards the cage, they soon entered it, and were immediately fastened in.

"The door of the apartment was now opened, and he without ran to assist his companion: he had a phial of blackish liquor in one hand, and an iron chissel in the other: finding the teeth of his companion set, he thrust in the chissel, forced them open, and then poured a little of the liquor into his mouth; and holding the lips together, applied his mouth to the dead man's nose, and filled his lungs with air: he next anointed his numerous wounds with a little of the same liquid, and yet no sign of life, appeared. I thought he was dead in earnest; his neck and veins were exceedingly swollen; when his comrade taking up the lifeless trunk in his arms, brought it out into the open air, and continued the operation of blowing for several minutes before a sign of life appeared; at length he gasped, and after a time recovered so far as to be able to speak. The swellings in his neck, body, and legs gradually subsided, as they continued washing the wounds with clear cold water and a sponge, and applying the black liquor occasionally; a clean haik was wrapped about him, but his strength seemed so far exhausted that he could not support himself standing, so his comrade laid him on the ground by a wall, where he sunk into a sleep. This exhibition lasted for about a quarter of an hour from the time the serpents were let loose until they were called off, and it was more than an hour from that time before he could speak. I thought I could discover that the poisonous fangs had been pulled out of these formidable serpents' jaws, and mentioned that circumstance to the showman, who said, that they had indeed been extracted; and when I wished to know how swellings on his neck and other parts could be assumed, he assured me, that though their deadly fangs were out, yet that the poisonous quality of their breath and spittle would cause the death of those they attack; that after a bite from either of these serpents, no man could exist longer than fifteen minutes: and that there was no remedy for any but those _who were endowed by the Almighty with power to charm, and to manage them_; and that he and his associates were of that favoured number! The Moors and Arabs call the thick and beautiful serpent _El Effah_, and the long black and heartheaded one _El Bouskah_.

"I afterwards saw engravings of these two serpents in _Jackson's Marocco_; which are very correct resemblances. They are said to be very numerous on and about the south foot of the Atlas mountains and border of the Desert, where these were caught when young, and where they often attack both men and beasts."--Vide _Riley's Shipwreck and Captivity in the Great Desert_, p. 550.]

[Footnote 272: Disciples of Seedy ben Isa, whose sanctuary is at Fas, and who possess the art of fascinating serpents.]

[Footnote 273: N.B. This is a misinterpretation of the Arabic words here used, which, literally translated, signify, _God alone, is great!_--J.G.J.]

_Animadversions on the Orthography of African Names_.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE, INSERTED MAY, 1818.)

Sir,

Bennet's-hill, Feb. 1818.

I should be much surprised to find that Jackson's account of what he has heard is doubted, if I did not remember that Bruce's account 456 of what he had seen was disbelieved. Nothing human can appear to me more deserving of implicit credit than the intelligence the former of these writers gives respecting Timbuctoo. He has not seen it, it is true. I have not seen Lisbon; but, if I had, and were to sit down to write an account of it, some things would be necessary to be described, with regard to which I should feel a degree of uncertainty; and, having given an account of Lisbon, if I were to visit it again, I should find others on which I had been mistaken. But let me arrange in my own mind the information I want respecting Lisbon; let me make enquiries of twenty intelligent persons who have resided there; let me carefully compare their different accounts, and who shall doubt the accuracy of the result?

Mr. Jackson has had an opportunity of acquiring information respecting Timbuctoo that no other European ever had, by having the direction of commerce in a city frequented by Timbuctan merchants; a city, the port of which is called, in Arabic, _Bab Sudan_, the Gate of Sudan. Mr. Jackson was qualified to make use of this advantage to an extent that no other European ever was, by a practical, and even critical knowledge of the general language of the country,--the African Arabic. To these Mr. Jackson added an ardent spirit of research, an industry which neglected no opportunity, a caution to compare, a judgment to discriminate, and 457 a firmness to decide. Who, that weighs these things, can doubt the accuracy of his intelligence respecting Sudan? I even regard his orthography as the standard of correctness, and am surprised that any person should continue to write Timbuctoo instead of Timbuctoo, or Fez instead of Fas.

I am inclined to believe that Adams has been at Timbuctoo, though I do not consider it as proved; but, supposing that he has, and that I wished to become acquainted with that city, would I apply for information to an illiterate slave, who was confined within narrow precincts? Or would I rely upon the united testimony of twenty persons of education, who had each a wider field of observation?

I have read "Jackson's Account of Marocco" twice through, at different periods, with great attention; and I do most heartily join in the confidence expressed by the enlightened and judicious author, that, in proportion as the interior of Africa shall be more known, the truth of his account of it will be made evident.

CATHERINE HUTTON.

_Hints for the Civilisation of Barbary, and Diffusion of Commerce_.

March 16, 1818.

Algiers, and the territory belonging to it, is governed by despotic Turks, the refuse of the Ottoman troops; who maintain their power 458 over the Moors and Arabs of the plains (who are the cultivators of the country), and over the Berebbers (who are the aborigines of the country), or inhabitants of the mountains of Atlas, which terminate this sovereignty on the south, and divide Algiers from Bled-al-Jereed. The first principle of this barbarous and sanguinary government, according io an African adage, is to "_Maintain the arm of power, by making streams qf blood flow, without intermission, around the throne!_" This country,--the government of which reflects disgrace on Christendom, which has been, during many ages the scourge of Christian mariners, and of all who navigate the Mediterranean Sea,--has often been conquered. The Romans reduced Numidia and Mauritania into Roman provinces. This beautiful garden of the world was afterwards conquered by the Vandals; then by the Greeks, during the reign of Justinian, under Belisarius; and, finally, three times by the Arabs, viz. in the 647th year of Christ, by Abdallah and Zobeer; in the year 667, by Ak'bah for the Kalif Moawiah; and in the year 692, by Hassan, the governor of Egypt, for the Kalif Abd Elmelik. Not one of the armies of these warriors ever exceeded 50,000 men.

After these general conquests, the partial conquests of the Portuguese and Spaniards, about the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth century, were effected by a mere handful of men; and, in 1509, the latter rendered the kingdom of Algiers tributary to them: but, afterwards, they lost it by the ferocity of 459 their chiefs, and by the fanaticism of their soldiers and priests; and, finally, by their perfidy and intolerance, they made themselves enemies to the various (_Kabyles_) tribes of Mauritania, and thereby lost their conquest.

The repeated insults, offered by these ruffians to civilised Europe, cannot be efficiently punished by a bombardment; a measure which punishes many innocent subjects for the insults offered by their government. No one acquainted with the character of the natives of Barbary will maintain, that the destruction of a few thousands of the peaceable inhabitants, or the burning of many houses, is a national calamity in the eyes of a Muselman chief; who would himself commit the same ravage and destruction that was so gallantly effected by the British fleet, under Lord Exmouth, for half the money it cost to accomplish it.

When Lord St. Vincent was off Cadiz with the British fleet, and could not obtain the object which he sought of the Emperor of Marocco; his Lordship, after refusing to comply with the Emperor's request, communicated to his Lordship by the Emperor's envoy, or agent, Rais Ben Embark, told the Rais to inform his Emperor, that, if he did not change his conduct very soon, he would begin a war with him, and such a war as he had neither seen nor read of before. When the Rais reported this to the Emperor Soliman, he enquired what kind of war an admiral could wage against him; some one of the 460 divan observed, that he would destroy the ports on the coast; adding, that it would cost a certain large sum of money to effect that destruction. Upon which the Emperor exclaimed, that, for half that amount, he would himself destroy all these ports.--This affair happened in September, 1798.

There is a prophecy in Barbary, that, from time immemorial, has been generally credited by the inhabitants. It has been transmitted to them by some fakeer, that the land of the Muselmen will be wrested from them by the Christians; and there is an impression, that the period when this event will take place is not far distant. They also believe that this event will happen on a Friday (the Muselman Sabbath), whilst they are occupied at their devotions at the _Dohor_, service of prayer. Accordingly, at this period,--viz. from twelve till half-past one o'clock,--the gates of all the town's on the coast are shut and bolted every Friday. This attack, forsooth, is to happen whilst they are occupied at prayer, because they are so infatuated with an opinion of their own valour, that they will not believe that Christians would presume to attack them openly, when armed and prepared for the combat. It should seem that these people begin now seriously to anticipate the near approach of this predestined conquest, and have accordingly entered into a kind of holy alliance, offensive and defensive: to which, it is said, the Emperor of Marocco, and the Deys of Tunis and Tripoli, have acceded; and that this holy alliance is crowned by the Ottoman Emperor. 461 It is more than probable, that the Dey of Algiers, goaded by the blow inflicted by Lord Exmouth,--which has increased his hatred to Christians, and has inflamed his desire of revenge,--will not fail to seek every opportunity (according to the known principles of Muhamedanism), of retaliating and insulting the Europeans, whenever a favourable opportunity may offer, even at the risk of another bombardment. This opinion has been confirmed by his late conduct; and by the activity that has been manifested in the fortifications, in increasing their military force, in building and equipping new vessels, to infest the Mediterranean with their abominable piracies; all which proceedings demonstrate the hostile intentions of the Dey beyond all doubt.

* * * * *

_Plan for the Conquest of Algiers._

The inhabitants of the plains are bigoted to the Muhamedan tenets; but they would readily exchange the iron rod that rules them for a more mild and beneficial form of government. A well-disciplined European army of 50,000 men, would assuredly effect their complete conquest without much difficulty: such an army, directed by a Wellington, would perform wonders, and astound the Africans. After the conquest, an energetic, decisive, but beneficent form of government, would be necessary, to retain the country, and to 462 conquer and annihilate the repugnancy which these people entertain to our religious tenets. A system of rule formed on the principles of the English constitution,--directed by good policy, benevolence, and religious toleration,--would not fail to reconcile these hostile tribes, and attach them to rational government. The Berebbers would readily assimilate to such a government; and, although by nature a treacherous race, they would rejoice to see the country in possession of a government which, they would perceive, strove to promote the welfare and prosperity of the mountaineers, as well as the inhabitants of the plains; and their own interest would thus gradually subdue the antipathy resulting from religious prejudices.

A general knowledge of the African Arabic would be essentially necessary; and I think a school might be established in England, on the Madras system, for initiating youths (going out to Africa) in the rudiments of that language. This would be attended with most important advantages; and might be accomplished in a very short time. The conquest of Algiers being thus effected, that of the neighbouring states would follow, without difficulty, by a disciplined army of European troops; keeping the principle ever in view, of conciliating the natives, without swerving from an energetic and decisive mode of government.

The advantages that would necessarily result from a successful attack upon Africa, would be-- 463 1. An incalculable demand for spices, and East India manufactures of silk and cotton.

2. A similar demand for coffees, and for sugars, manufactured and unmanufactured; as well as for other articles of West India produce.

3. An incalculable demand for all our various articles of manufacture.

On the other hand, we should obtain from this fine country,--

1. An immense supply of the finest wheat, and other grain, that the world produces.

2. We should be able to open a direct communication with the interior regions of Africa,--which have baffled the enterprise of ancient and modern Europe: the fertile and populous districts which lie contiguous to the Nile of Sudan, throughout the whole of the interior of Africa, would become, in a few years, as closely connected to us, by a mutual exchange of benefits, as our own colonies; and such a stimulus would be imparted to British enterprise and industry, as would secure to us such stores of gold as would equal the riches of Solomon, and immortalize the prince who should cherish this great commerce to its maturity.

VASCO DE GAMA. 464

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.)

Liverpool, Dec. 17. 1818. Sir,

In "_The Portfolio_," a Monthly Miscellany for May, 1817, published at Philadelphia, there is rather an interesting review of Ali Bey's travels. The writer says, "Ali Bey has rectified various errors in the common maps of Marocco. The river Luccos, for instance, flows to the South, and not to the North of Alcasser; and the city of Fas, according to Ali Bey, is situated in 34 deg. 6' north latitude, and not as laid down in the Maps of Arrowsmith, Rennell, Delille, Golberri, &c."--If, however, he had given himself the trouble to consult the map of West Barbary, in Jackson's Account of Marocco, &c. &c. (which is by far the most accurate extant, and whose geographical orthography has been adopted in all the best modern English maps,) he would have seen that Fas is in 34 deg. north latitude; that the river Elkos, or Luccos, is described in that map, (which was published several years before Ali Bey's travels,) as running south of Alcasser.

In describing the funeral cry at Marocco, the editor, or reviewer, impresses his reader with an idea that this funeral cry is that of the Moors, whereas it is no such thing: it is the practice of the Jews only in West Barbary to cry "Ah! Ah!" and lacerate their faces 465 with their finger nails; after which they wash, drink brandy, and enjoy themselves.

The large sea in the interior of Africa, described by Ali Bey to be without any communication with the Ocean, had been described (_years before Ali Bey's travels were published_) by Jackson, in his Account of Marocco, &c. &c. third edition, p. 309, and called first by him _Bahar Sudan_, and represented as a sea having decked vessels on it. Mr. Park, in his Second Journey, calls this sea the Bahar Seafina, without, however, informing the public, or knowing, that the Bahar Sefeena is an Arabic expression implying a sea of ships, or a sea where ships are found; and the situation he places it in coincides exactly with Jackson's prior description. There are thus three concurrent testimonies of the situation of the Bahar Sudan, or Sea of Sudan, _first noticed by Jackson_, and since confirmed by Ali Bey and Park.[274]

EL HAGE HAMED EL WANGARY.

[Footnote 274: There is an able discussion of this subject in the New Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica, article "Africa," p. 104, and 105.]

_On the Negroes_.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.)

Sir,

Eton, 5th Dec. 1818.

Many maintain that the Negroes are a docile and tractable race, and more easily to be governed than Europeans; others maintain, that 466 they are liars, thieves, vindictive, and a demoralised race. That they are vindictive, no one who is acquainted with their character will deny; but are not most barbarous and uncivilised nations the same? What are the Muhamedans and Pagans? The latter, who form nearly two-thirds of the population of the earth, are generally of the same character, and the vindictive character of the former is notorious.

Propagate among the Negroes the benign principles of the Christian doctrine, and they will gradually (as those principles are inculcated) become good subjects, and useful members of society. It is that religion which will bring forth their latent and social virtues--a religion, the moral principles of which are the admiration even of its enemies, the Muhamedans themselves: a religion which exalts the human character above the brutes, and brings forth its beauties as the brilliancy of the diamond is brought forth by the hand of the polisher.

Destroy their witchcraft and idolatry, and on their ruins inculcate the divine doctrines of Christ, and we shall soon see that they will possess sentiments that exalt the human character, and that nothing has contributed more to their mental degradation than the cruel treatment of their masters in the European colonies of the West.

VASCO DE GAMA. 467

_Cursory Observations on Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzclarence's Journal of a Route across India, through Egypt, to England_.

Eton, 7th May, 1819.

It is remarkable, that in proportion as our mass of information respecting the interior of Africa increases, the truth of Mr. James Grey Jackson's account of that country, in the appendix to his account of Marocco, &c. receives additional confirmation. Some literary sceptics have been so far prejudiced against this author's report as to doubt its veracity altogether; but let us see how far the interesting report of Lieut.-Colonel Fitzclarence, in his journal of a route across India, through Egypt, to England, lately published, corroborates Mr. Jackson's description of Timbuctoo, published so long since as 1809.

It is to be lamented, that Jackson's African orthography is not altogether adopted: with the superior and practical knowledge which he evidently possesses of the African Arabic language, it cannot, I presume, be doubted by the learned and impartial, that his orthography is correct; and, judging from what has already transpired, I do not hesitate to predict, that his African orthography, from an evidence of its accuracy, will, in a few years, be adopted throughout; although the learned world have been ten years in correcting _Tombuctoo_ into _Timbuctoo_; the latter 468 being Mr. Jackson's orthography in his account of Marocco, Timbuctoo, &c. published in 1809.

The late account of Mr. Bowdich's mission to Ashantee has been the first to corroborate this author in this respect; and Lieut.-Colonel Fitzclarence has confirmed it with this additional observation, in his Journal of a Route, &c. page 493: "Upon enquiring about _Timbuctoo_ the Hage laughed at our pronunciation, the name of the city being _Timbuctoo_." The next improvement in African geographical orthography, will probably be the conversion of Fez into _Fas_ (for there is absolutely no more reason for calling it Fez than there has been for calling Timbuctoo, Timbuctoo), this word being spelled in Arabic with the letters _Fa, Alif_, and _Sin_, which cannot be converted into any other orthography but _Fas_; the same argument would hold with various other words spelled correctly by this author, an accurate elucidation of which might encroach too much upon your valuable pages. I shall therefore briefly state, that in page 480 of Colonel Fitzclarence's Journal, the name of the Moorish gentleman to whose care the sons of the Emperor of Marocco, Muley Soliman, were confided, is stated to be El Hadge Talib ben Jelow: this is incorrect orthography, there is no such name in the Arabic language as _Jelow_, it is a barbarism; ben Jelow signifies ben Jelule, and the proper name is _El Hage Taleb ben Jelule_.

469 Behur Soldan is evidently another barbarism or corruption of the Arabic words _Bahar Sudan: vide_ Jackson's Account of Marocco, Timbuctoo, &c. page 309, published by Cadell and Davies.

It has been observed by an intelligent French writer, that "_Le pluspart des hommes mesurant leur foi par leur connoissance acquise croyent A fort peu de choses_." In confirmation of this opinion, many intelligent men, at the time of the publication of Jackson's Account of Marocco, Timbuctoo, &c. doubted the existence of the _Heirie_, as described by him; but in proportion as our knowledge of Africa improves, we see that the truth of these wonders is confirmed: and Colonel Fitzclarence mentions one that travelled four days in one; but we should not be surprised to hear, before this century shall terminate, that an Englishman had travelled from Fas to Timbuctoo on a Heirie, accompanied by an accredited agent of the Emperor of Marocco, in ten or fifteen days!

It appears by this ingenious traveller's Journal of a Route, &c. page 493, that all religions are tolerated at Timbuctoo. This is a confirmation of what is reported by Jackson, in the Appendix annexed to his Account of Marocco, &c. page 300.

The fish in the river of Timbuctoo, the Neel El Abeed or Neel of Sudan, is described by Colonel Fitzclarence as resembling salmon: 470 this is a corroboration of Jackson, who says, the _shebbel_ abound in the Neel of Sudan, and the shebbel is the African salmon. See appendix to Jackson's Account of Marocco, &c. page 306.

In page 494, Colonel Fitzclarence says, the Nile at Kabra is a quarter of a mile wide; Jackson says it is as wide as the Thames at London. See Appendix to Jackson's Marocco, &c. page 305.

In page 496 of the Colonel's narrative, an account is given of the rate of travelling through the Desert; which, allowing for an arbitrary difference, in the resting days, corroborates Jackson's Account, page 286.

In page 497, El hage Taleb ben Jelule's report to the Colonel, of an account of two white men, (undoubtedly Mungo Park and another,) who were at Timbuctoo in 1806, is a remarkable confirmation of the account brought by Mr. Jackson from Mogodor in January, 1807, and reported by him to the Marquis of Hastings, to Sir Joseph Banks, and to Sir Charles Morgan, which is inserted in the Morning Post and other papers, about the middle of August, 1814.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

VASCO DE GAMA. 471

_On the Arabic Language, as now spoken in Turkey in Europe, in Asia, and in Africa_.

London, May 10, 1819.

In this enlightened age, when our intercourse is increasing with nations remote from our own, and possessing different religions, languages, laws, and customs; when the ambassadors of the Muhamedan potentates of Europe, Asia, and Africa, are resident in our metropolis, all understanding _the Arabic language_; when, with a knowledge of this language, a person may travel and hold colloquial intercourse with the inhabitants of Turkey, with the greater part of Asia, and with Africa; and, lastly, when we consider the valuable and immense stores of Arabian literature, of the best periods which still remain unexplored, is it not remarkable under all the exciting circumstances above enumerated, that in this powerful and opulent country, there should not be found, with all our boasted learning and eagerness of research, three or four Englishmen capable of writing and conversing intelligibly in that beautiful and useful language? The extent of this disgraceful ignorance would be scarcely credible, were there not proofs beyond doubt, that our principal seats of learning are as deficient in 472 this knowledge as the public in general[275], and that letters or public documents written in that language, have been in vain sent to them for translation. What I have long considered as chiefly tending to diminish the desire of acquiring this language, is an opinion dogmatically asserted, and diligently propagated, that the Arabic of the East and West are so different from each other, as almost to form distinct languages, and to be unintelligible to the inhabitants of either of those regions respectively; but, having always doubted the truth of this assertion, I have endeavoured, from time to time, _during the last ten years_, to ascertain whether the Arabic language spoken in Asia be the same with that which is spoken in Africa, (westward to the shores of the Atlantic ocean,) but without success, and even without the smallest 473 satisfactory elucidation, until the arrival in London last winter, of the most _Reverend Doctor Giarve, Bishop of Jerusalem_, who has given such incontestible proofs of his proficiency in the Arabic language, that his opinion on this important point cannot but be decisive; accordingly, on presenting to the reverend Doctor some letters from the Emperor of Marocco to me, desiring that he would oblige me with his opinion, whether the Arabic in those letters was the same with that spoken in Syria, the Rev. Doctor replied in the following perspicuous manner, which, I think, decides the question: _"I can assure you, that the language and the idiom of the Arabic in these letters from the Emperor of Marocco to you, is precisely the same with that which is spoken in the East."_

[Footnote 275: See page 408. respecting a letter sent to our late revered Sovereign, by the Emperor of Marocco. In consequence of the inattention to that letter, the Emperor determined never to write again to a Christian king in the Arabic language; and, with regard to Great Britain, I believe he has faithfully ever since kept his word! Some time before this letter was written, I being then in Marocco, the Emperor's minister asked me if the Emperor his master were to write an Arabic letter to the _Sultan George Sultan El Ingleez_, (these were his expressions,) whether there were persons capable of translating it into English: I replied, that there were men at the Universities capable of translating every learned language in the known world; and accordingly the letter above alluded to was written in Arabic, and addressed to His Majesty. This letter was written by the Emperor himself, which I am competent to declare, having letters from him in my possession, and being acquainted with his hand-writing and style.]

It is, therefore, thus ascertained, that the Arabic language spoken in the kingdom of Tafilelt, of Fas, of Marocco, and in Suse or South Barbary, is precisely the same language with that which is now spoken in Syria, and Palestine in Asia; countries distant from each other nearly 3000 miles, and from information since obtained, there appears to be no doubt that the Arabic language spoken by the Arabs in Arabia, by the Moors and Arabs in India and Madagascar, by the Moorish nations on the African shores of the Mediterranean, are one and the same language with that spoken in Marocco, subject only to certain provincial peculiarities, which by no means form 474 impediments to the general understanding of the language, no more, or not so much so, as the provincial peculiarities of one county of England differ from another!!

Unwilling to encroach too much on your valuable pages, I will leave, for the subject of my next letter, the inconceivable misconstructions and errors into which the ignorance of this language has led European travellers in Africa, of which I shall state some examples in a recent publication respecting Africa.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

JAMES G. JACKSON.

_Cursory Observations on the Geography of Africa, inserted in an Account of a Mission to Ashantee, by T. Edward Bowdich, Esq. showing the Errors that have been committed by European Travellers on that Continent, from their Ignorance of the Arabic Language, the learned and the general travelling Language of that interesting part of the World_.

June 17, 1819.

The Niger, after leaving the lake Dibber, was invariably described as dividing in two large streams.--_Vide_ "Bowdich's Account of a Mission to Ashantee," p. 187.

The Lake Dibber is called in the proceedings of the African Association Dibbie, but the proper appellation is _El Bahar Tibber, _or_ El Bahar Dehebbie_. The Bahar Tibber signifies the sea of gold 475 dust; the _Bahar Dehebbie_ signifies the sea or water abounding in gold. Jinnee, which is on or near the shore of this lake, (I call it a lake because it is fresh water,) abounds in gold, and is renowned throughout Africa for the ingenuity of its artificers in that metal, insomuch that they acknowledge the superiority of Europeans in all arts except that of gold work. There are some specimens of Jinnee gold trinkets, very correctly delineated in the recent interesting work of "Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzclarence's Journal of a Route across India, through Egypt to England," p. 496.

Page 187, "Yahoodie, a place of great trade."

This place is reported to be inhabited by one of the lost tribes of Israel, possibly an emigration from the tribe of Judah. Yahooda, in African Arabic, signifies Judah. Yahoodee signifies Jew. It is not impossible, that many of the lost tribes of Israel may be found dispersed in the interior regions of Africa, when we shall become better acquainted with that Continent; it is certain, that some of the nations that possessed the country eastward of Palestine when the Israelites were a favoured nation, have emigrated to Africa.

An emigration of the Amorites[276] are now in possession of the declivity of the Atlas Mountains, westward of the sanctuary[277] of Muley Driss, and in the neighbourhood of the ruins of Pharaoh; they 476 live in encampments, consisting of two, three, or four tents each: they resemble the Arabs of the Desert in their predatory excursions. I speak from practical knowledge, having twice travelled through their country, and visited their encampments.

[Footnote 276: They are called _Ite-amor_, Amorite.]

[Footnote 277: _Vide_ Jackson's Account of Marocco, chap. viii. enlarged edition.]

Page 189. "Mr. Beaufoy's Moor says, that below Ghinea is the sea into which the river of Timbuctoo discharges itself."

This might have been understood to signify the Sea of Sudan, if the Moor had not said below Ghinea, (by which is meant Genowa, or as we call it Guinea,) which implies, that the _Neel El Abeed_ (Niger) discharges itself in the sea that washes the coast of Guinea; this, therefore, corroborates Seedi Hamed's, or rather Richard's hypothesis.

Page 190. "This branch of the Niger passing Timbuctoo, is not crossed until the third day going from Timbuctoo to Houssa."

This quotation from "Dapper's Description of Africa," is corroborated by L'Hage Abdsalam, Shabeeni, whose narrative says, "Shabeeni, after staying three years at Timbuctoo, departed for Houssa, and crossing the small river close to the walls, reached the Neel in three days, travelling through a fine, populous, and cultivated country."

The confusion of rivers, made mere equivocal by every new hypothesis, receives here additional ambiguity. If there were (as Mr. Bowdich affirms) three distinct rivers near Timbuctoo; viz. the 477 Joliba, the Gambarro, and the Niger, (_i. e_. the _Neel El Abeed_) how comes it that they have not been noticed by Leo Africanus, who resided at Timbuctoo; by Edrissi, who is the most correct of the Arabian geographers; or whence is it, that these rivers have not been noticed by the many Moorish travelling merchants who have resided at Timbuctoo, and whom I have repeatedly questioned respecting this matter[278], or whence is it that Alkaid L'Hassen Ramy, a renowned chief of the Emperor of Marocco's army, with whom I was well acquainted, and who was a native of Houssa, knew of no such variously inclined streams. This being premised, I am certainly not disposed to relinquish the opinion I brought with me from Africa in the year 1807, viz. that the _Neel El Abeed_ is the only mighty river that runs through Africa from west to east; but I admit that its adjuncts, as well as itself, have different names; thus, in the manuscript of Mr. Park's death, a copy of which is inserted in "Mr. Bowdich's Account of Ashantee," it is called Kude; many hundred miles eastward it is called Kulla, from the country 478 through which it passes; but Kude and Kulla are different names, and ought not to be confounded one with the other; neither ought Quolla (_i. e._, the Negro pronunciation of Kulla) to be confounded with Kude, the former being the Negro term for the same river, in the same manner as Niger is the Roman name for the _Neel Elabeed_, which is the Arabic name for the same river. There is a stream which proceeds from the Sahara, the water of which is _brackish_; this stream hardly can be called a river, except in the rainy season. It passes in a south-westerly direction near Timbuctoo, but does not join the _Neel Elabeed_. I could mention several intelligent and credible authorities, the report of respectable merchants, who have resided, and, who have had establishments at Timbuctoo, in confirmation of this fact; but as the authorities which I should adduce would be unknown, even by name, to men of science in Europe, I would refer the reader to the interesting narrative of an intelligent Moorish merchant, who resided three years at Timbuctoo, and who was known to the committee of the African Association; this travelling merchant's name is L'Hage Abdsalam Shabeeny, and his narrative, a manuscript of which (with critical and explanatory notes by myself) I have in my possession, has the following observation:[279]--"Close to the town of Timbuctoo, on the south, is a small rivulet in which the 479 inhabitants wash their clothes, and which is about two feet deep; it runs into the great forest on the east, and does not communicate with the Nile, but is lost in the sands west of the town: its water is brackish; that of the Nile is good and pleasant."

[Footnote 278: The Arabs who conduct the _cafelahs_ or caravans across the Sahara, are often seen at Agadeer or Santa Cruz, and sometimes even at Mogodor; and if there was a river penetrating to the north through the Sahara, would it not have been noticed by them? Is it possible that such a prominent feature of African geography, as a river of sweet water passing through a desert, could fail of being noticed by these people, who are, in their passage through the Desert, continually in search of water?]

[Footnote 279: See page 8.]

Page 199. Mr. Murray recently observes, "Joliba seems readily convertible into Joli-ba, the latter syllable being merely an adjunct, signifying river; this I was also given to understand."

This is an etymological error. The Joliba is not a compound word, if it were it would be Bahar Joli, not Bajoli, or Joliba; thus do learned men, through a rage for criticism, and for want of a due knowledge of African languages, render confused, by fancied etymologies, that which is sufficiently clear and perspicuous.

Page 191. "The river of Darkulla mentioned by Mr. Brown."

This is evidently an error: there is probably no such place or country as Darkulla. There is, however, an alluvial country denominated _Bahar Kulla_, (for which see the map of Africa in the Supplement of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, p. 88. lat. N. 8 deg., long. E. 20 deg.). I apprehend this Darkulla, when the nations of Europe shall be better acquainted with Africa and its languages, will be discovered to be a corruption of _Bahar Kulla_, or an unintelligible and ungrammatical term: _Deaar Kulla_ is grammatical, and implies a country covered with houses! _Dar Kulla_ 480 is an ungrammatical and an incorrect term, which being literally translated into English, signifies _many house_. This being premised, we may reasonably suppose, that _Bahar Kulla_ is the proper term which, as I have always understood, forms the junction of the Nile of the west with the Nile of the east, and hence forming a continuity[280] of waters from Timbuctoo to Cairo.

[Footnote 280: See my letter in the Monthly Magazine for March, 1817, page 128.]

191. In this geographical dissertation the word Niger is still used, which is a name altogether unknown in Africa, and calculated to contuse the geographical enquirer. As this word is unintelligible to the natives of Africa, whether they be Arabs, Moors, Berebbers, Shelluhs, or Negroes, ought it not to be expunged from the maps?

P. 192. In the note in this page, "Jackson's Report of the source of the _Neel el Abeed_, and the Source of the Senegal," is confirmed by the Jinnee Moor.--See Jackson's Appendix to his Account of Marocco, enlarged edition, p. 311.

"It is said, that thirty days from Timbuctoo they eat their prisoners!" Does not this allude to Banbugr[281], and has not this 491 word been corrupted by Europeans into Bambarra. See Mr. Bowdich's MS. No. 3, p. 486; Banbugr, who eat the flesh of men. Jackson's translation.

[Footnote 281: The Gr in Banbugr, is the Arabic letter, grain. Richardson, in his Arabic Grammar, renders this letter gh; which demonstrates, that his knowledge of the Arabic was only scholastic, not practical. It has no resemblance or affinity to gh, and would be unintelligible if so pronounced to an Arab.]

Page 193. The government of Jinnee appears to be Moorish; because _Malai Smaera_, which should be written _Mulai Smaera_, signifies in the Arabic language, the _Prince Smaera_: the term does not belong to Negroes, but exclusively to Muhamedans. _Malai Bacharoo_ is a Negro corruption of the word; it should be _Mulai_, or _Muley Bukaree_; i.e. the _Abeed Mulai Bukaree_, or _Abeed Seedi Bukaree_. They are well known among the Negroes of Sudan; the Negroes of this race form the present body-guard of the Emperor of Maroceo's troops, consisting of 5000 horse. They are dexterous in the management of the horse, are well-disciplined troops, and are the only military in the Emperor's army that can cope with the Berebbers of the Atlas.

Note, p. 194. Dapper's description of Africa is here quoted in confirmation of the decay of Timbuctoo; and Jackson is accused of extravagance. The latter I shall pass over, it being an assertion unsupported by any substantial testimony; but immediately afterwards is the following passage.

"The three last kings before Billa (_i.e. Billabahada_) were Osamana, (_i.e._ Osaman; Osamana being the feminine gender,) Dawoloo, and Abass. Mr. Jackson says there was a King Woolo reigning in 1800; and a Moor who had come from Timbuctoo to Comassee ten years ago (viz. about 1807, or ten years before Mr. 482 Bowdich visited Ashantee), did not know King Woolo was dead, as he was reigning at the time he left Timbuctoo."

With regard to Dapper's assertion, it should be remembered, that if Timbuctoo was decaying in his time, that is about the period that Muley Ismael ascended the throne of Marocco, viz. in 1672; it revived very soon after, that is before the close of the 17th century. This powerful and warlike prince had the address to establish and to maintain a very strong garrison at Timbuctoo; and accordingly, during his long reign of fifty-five years, viz. from 1672 to 1727, Timbuctoo carried on a constant, extensive, and lucrative trade with Marocco, Tafilelt, and Fas, in gold dust, gum-sudan, ostrich-feathers, ivory, and slaves, &c. _Akkabahs_[282], and _cafilahs_, or caravans, were going continually from Timbuctoo to Tafilelt, Marocco, Fas, and Terodant. Travelling across the Desert was then as safe as it is now in the plains of Marocco, or on the roads in England; the only months during which the caravans did not travel were July and August, because the _Shume_, or hot wind of the Desert, prevails during these two months. It is reported, that Muley Ismael was so rich in gold, that the bolts of the gates of his palaces, and his kitchen utensils, were of pure gold. Timbuctoo continued to carry on a most 483 lucrative trade with Marocco, &c.; during the Feign of the Emperor Muley Abd Allah, son and successor of Ismael, and also during the reign of Seedy[283] Muhamed ben Abd Allah, who died about the year 1795, a sovereign universally regretted, and hence aptly denominated the father of his people: since the decease of Seedy[284] Muhamed ben Abd Allah, the father of the reigning emperor, Muley Soliman, the trade of Sudan has rapidly decreased, because the policy of the present emperor is, to discourage commerce, but to encourage the agriculture and the manufactures of his own country, so as to make them sufficient for itself, and independent of foreign supplies!

[Footnote 282: An Akkabah is an accumulation of many _cafilahs_ or caravans.]

[Footnote 283: It should be observed, that an emperor having the name of the Arabian prophet, is called Seedy; but having any other name, he is called Muley; the former signifies master, the latter, prince.]

[Footnote 284: If therefore the trade with Timbuctoo declined in Leo's time, _i.e._ A.D. 1570, it unquestionably revived in Ismael's reign, and also continued with but little diminution during the reign of his son Abd Allah, and his grandson Muhamed.]

Da Woolo is a reverential term, and is synonymous with Woolo, signifying King Woolo.

484 Park says, Mansong was king of Timbuctoo in 1796, and in 1805, implying that he reigned from 1796 to 1805. The Moor before mentioned, who came from Timbuctoo to Comassie in 1807, told Mr. Bowdich, that Woolo was then reigning at Timbuctoo. Isaaco says, Woolo was predecessor to Mansong; consequently, according to this Jew, Woolo was king before the year 1796; therefore, if Mr. Park's testimony be correct, Woolo must have been predecessor and successor to Mansong; otherwise, Mr. Park was incorrect in saying that Mansong was king of Timbuctoo in 1796, and in 1805. Adams says, Woolo was king of Timbuctoo in 1810, and was old and grey-headed. Riley's narrative also confirms his age and grey hairs. With regard to my testimony, viz. that Woolo was king[285] of Timbuctoo in 1800, I had it from two merchants of veracity, who returned from Timbuctoo in 1800, after residing there 14 years: they are both alive now, and reside at Fas; their names I would mention, were I not apprehensive that it might lead to a reprimand from the emperor, and create jealousy for having communicated intelligence respecting the interior of the country. I should not have entered into this detail _in confirmation of my assertion that Woolo was king of Timbuctoo in_ 1800, if the editor of the Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica (article Africa), had not asserted, that I have committed an anachronism in asserting, that he was king in that year; thereby insinuating that Park was right, and that I was wrong.

[Footnote 285: See my Letter on the Interior of Africa, in the Anti-Jacobin Review for January, 1818, p. 453.]

485 Page 195. The Editor of Adams's Narrative is, I apprehend, incorrect in asserting, that the name Fatima affords no proof that the queen, or the wife of Woolo, was a Muhamedan. Fatima is incontestably an Arabian proper name; and it would be considered presumption in a Negress unconverted to Muselmism, to assume the name of Fatima. She must, therefore, have been necessarily a Mooress, or a converted Negress; the name has nothing to do with a numeral, as Mr. Bowdich suggests, and above all not with the _numeral five_, for that is a number ominous of evil in Africa, and as such, would never have been bestowed as a name on a beloved wife.

Page 196. Note of W. Hutchison, "The four greatest monarchs known on the banks of the Quolla, are Baharnoo, Santambool, Malisimiel, and Malla, or Mallowa."

Baharnoo should be written _Ber Noh_; i.e. the country of Noah the patriarch; it is called in the maps Bernoo, and the whole passage is calculated greatly to confuse African geography. The information is unquestionably derived from Negro authority, and that not of the most authentic kind. Santambool is the Negro corruption of _Strambool_, which is the Arabic name for Constantinople: _Malisimiel_ is the Negro corruption of Muley Ismael.[286] The first signifies the empire of Constantinople; the second signifies the empire of Muley Ismael, who was emperor of Marocco in the early part of the 18th century, and whose authority was acknowledged at 486 Timbuctoo, where he maintained a strong garrison, and held the adjacent country in subjection, where his name is held in reverence to this day. This being premised, it follows of course, that one of these four great monarchies here alluded to, viz. that of Santambool is certainly not on the Quolla, unless the Quolla be considered the same river with the Egyptian Nile, and that Egypt be considered a part of the empire of Santambool; then, and then only, can it be said, that the empire of Santambool is situated on the Quolla.

[Footnote 286: See Jackson's Marocco, chap. xiii. p. 295, and note, p. 296.]

Page 198. Two large lakes were described close to the northward of Houssa; one called Balahar Sudan, and the other Girrigi Maragasee; the first of these names is a Negro corruption, or an European corruption of the term _Bahar Sudan_[287]; the other is a Negro name of another, if not of the same lake or sea. The situation of the _Bahar Sudan_ is described by me in the 13th chapter, in my account of Marocco, to be fifteen journeys east of Timbuctoo, and the _Neel El Abeed_ passes through it. I had this information from no less than seven Moorish merchants of intelligence and veracity; the same is confirmed by Ali Bey[288], the Shereef Imhammed, Park, and Dr. Seitzen; all these authorities must therefore fall to the 487 ground if Mr. Bowdich's report is to overturn these testimonies, which has placed it three degrees of latitude north of the _Neel El Abeed_, or [289]_Neel Assudan_, and in the Sahara[290], _unconnected with any river_! I doubt if any, but a very ignorant Pagan Negro (for the Muhamedan Negroes are more intelligent), would have given the Sea of Sudan this novel situation.

[Footnote 287: See Jackson's Marocco, chap. xiii.]

[Footnote 288: For an elucidation of these opinions, see my Letter on the Interior of Africa, in the European Magazine, Feb. 1818, page 113.]

[Footnote 289: Neel Sudan and Neel Assudan are synonymous, the _as_ being the article.]

[Footnote 290: See Mr. Bowdich's Map, in his Account of a Mission to Ashantee.]

Page 200. The Quolla appears to be the Negro pronunciation of the Arabic name _Kulla_; i.e. the _Bahar Kulla_, to which the _Neel Assudan_ is said to flow. _Bahar Kulla_ is an Arabic word signifying the sea altogether, or an alluvial country. The _Neel Assudan_ here joins the waters of a river that proceed westward from the Abysinian Nile, and hence is formed the water communication between Cairo[291] and Timbuctoo.

[Footnote 291: See Jackson's Account of Marocco, enlarged edition, p. 313. See also his Letter to the Editor of the Monthly Magazine for March, 1817. p. 125.]

Page 201. Quolla Raba, or Kulla Raba, signifies the Kulla forest, as the Negroes express it; the Arabs call it _Raba Kulla_, i.e. the forest of _Kulla_, If any further proof of the accuracy of this interpretation be necessary, it maybe added, that the position agrees exactly with Major Rennell's kingdom of _Kulla_, for which see the Major's map in proceedings of the African Association, vol. i. page 209, lat. N. 9 deg., long. W. 10 deg.. 488 Page 203. The lake Fittri is a lake, the waters of which are said to be filtered through the earth, as the name implies. The Nile is here said to run under ground. The Arabs and Moors have a tradition, that the waters of Noah's flood rested here, and were absorbed and filtered through the earth, leaving only this large lake. I never understood this sea to be identified with the Bahar Heimed[292]; i.e. the Hot or Warm Sea. The Hot Sea and the Filtered Sea are distinct waters; the former lies about mid-way, in a right line between Lake Fittri and Lake Dwi. (See Laurie and Whittle's Map of Africa, published in 1813.) This is another inaccuracy of Mr. Hutchison; who appears, indeed, to have collected information from natives, without considering what title they had to credibility. Another error is added to the note in page 203 and 204, viz. what he calls sweet beans are unquestionably dates, which have not the least affinity in taste, shape, growth, or quality, to beans. The Arabic name correctly converted into European letters, is _timmer_, not _tummer_. The Arabic words designating sweet beans, is _Elfool El Hellue_. The passage signed William Hutchison here alluded to, is this: "The Arabs eat black rice, corn, and _sweet beans called tummer_."

[Footnote 292: _Heimed_ is an Arabic term, signifying that degree of heat which milk has when coming from the cow or goat.]

Note, page 204. I do not know whence the Quarterly Review has 489 derived its information respecting the derivation of the word Misr (a corruption of Massar); the word Massar is compounded of the two Arabic words Ma and Sar; i.e. Mother of Walls. Possibly some Arabic professor versed in bibliographic lore, to favor a darling hypothesis, has transmuted Massar into Misr, to strengthen the plausibility of the etymology of Misr from Misraem!!

Note, page _205_. _Bahar bela ma_ is an Arabic expression, importing it to be a country once covered with water, but now no longer so. In the note in this page, I recognise the word Sooess to designate the Isthmus of Suez. The Bahar Malee, and the Sebaha Bahoori, are Negro corruptions of the Arabic words _Bahar El Maleh_, and _Seba Baharet_: the former does not apply particularly to the Mediterranean, but _is a term applicable to any sea or ocean that is salt_ (as all seas and oceans assuredly are); the latter term signifies literally, the Seven Seas or Waters: neither is this a term applicable to the Mediterranean, but to any sea supplied by seven rivers, as the Red Sea: these, therefore, are evidently other inaccuracies of Mr. Hutchison. I apprehend Mr. Hutchison's Arabic tutor at Ashantee was not an erudite scholar. The term, and the only term in Africa, applicable to the Mediterranean Sea, is the _Bahar Segrer_ (literally the Small Sea); and _El Bahar El Kabeer_ (is the Atlantic Ocean, or literally the Great Sea); the latter is sometimes figuratively called the _Bahar Addolum_, i.e. the Unknown Sea, or the Sea of Darkness. 490 Note, p. 206. Is it possible that the author doubts that Wangara is east of Timbuctoo? It should seem that he did, as he quotes Mr. Hutchison as authority for making it to contain Kong, a mountainous district many journeys south of the _Neel Assudan_. Mr. Park's testimony is also called in support of this opinion, but they are both erroneous. Wangara is as well known in Africa to be east of Timbuqtoo, as in England York is known to be North of of London.

Oongooroo is a barbarous Negro corruption of Wangara; therefore, this note, if suffered to pass through the press unnoticed, would be calculated to confuse, not to elucidate, African geography; neither can it be called, according to Mr. Horneman's orthography, Ungura: the name is _Wangara_ which cannot be converted accurately into any word _but_ Wangara. Ungura Oongooroo, &c. are corruptions of the proper name, originating in an imperfect, and but an oral knowledge of the African Arabic.

Page 210. I apprehend the reason why Wassenah was not known at Ashantee by the traders, is because it was out of their trading track. I have no doubt of the existence of Wassenah or Massenah (for when the names of African towns and countries are recorded, we should not be particular about a letter or two, when we find so many orthographical variations are made by different authors); neither is there any reason (that I know of) to doubt the 491 description of Wassenah given in Riley's Narrative; but it is not extraordinary, that this place should be unknown at Ashantee, if there were no commerce or communication between these countries respectively; it is certain, that the Africans neither know, seek, or care, for places or countries with which they have no trade or communication.

It appears well deserving of observation (for the purpose of rendering Arabic names intelligible to future African travellers), that Mr. Bowdich has demonstrated that, what is called in our maps, 1. Bambarra, 2. Gimbala, 3. Sego, 4. Berghoo, 5. Begarmee, being written in the Arabic language, with the guttural letter _grain_, would be quite unintelligible, if pronounced to an African _as they are written_ by our letters, the nearest approximation to the Arabic words would be as follows, taking _Gr_ for the nearest similitude that our alphabet affords to the guttural letter [Arabic] _grain_.

Correct Pronunciation. African Orthography. Called in the Maps.

1. Banbug'r [Arabic] Bambara.

2. Grimbala [Arabic] Gimbala.

3. Shagr'u [Arabic] Sego.

4. Bergr'u [Arabic] Berghoo.

5. Bagrarmee [Arabic] Begarmee. 492 The African traveller should be precise in his attention to the sound of these words, otherwise he will be quite unintelligible to the Africans, and to the Muhamedans.

Richardson, in his Arabic Grammar, is certainly incorrect, when he says, the letter [Arabic] _grain_ should be pronounced _gh_. No one acquainted _practically_ with the Arabic language, could possibly be of this opinion; _gh_ having no more resemblance to the sound of the letter [Arabic] _grain_, than _g_ has to _h_: and every traveller going to Africa with this erroneous opinion, will, undoubtedly, be unintelligible to the Africans.

Finally, the Arabic document, if it may be permitted to call it Arabic, facing page 128 of this interesting work of Mr. Bowdich, is a most miserable composition of _Lingua franca_, or corrupt Spanish, of unintelligible jargon, consisting of many words quite unintelligible to the Africans, whether Negroes or Moors, or others. The language of this document, although it has some Arabic words in it, is worse, if possible, than the scrawl in which it is written; neither is it a correct translation of the English which precedes it. But purporting to be a letter issued from the _accredited servants of the King of the English_, it is certainly a disgrace to the country from whence it issues, and a rare specimen of our knowledge of the Arabic language.

JAMES GREY JACKSON. 493

_Commercial Intercourse with the Interior of Africa._

TO THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL OF TRADE, &c.

Sir, Eton, June 30, 1818.

The last expedition from Sierra Leone, in addition to many others sent out for the purpose of _exploring the interior of Africa_, having failed, and the enterprising and persevering Mr. Burckhardt, having frustrated the well grounded hopes of the African Association, by his having paid the debt of nature, it is not improbable that His Majesty's government _will now direct their attention with energy to the only plan that can possibly make that interesting and extraordinary country a jewel in the British crown_.

This important discovery, which would immortalise the prince, who should cherish it to its maturity, _can be effected only through the medium of commerce_. But it should be attempted not only with energy and decision, but with _dispatch_, before the enterprising and commercial spirit of a foreign power (seeing how abortive our efforts have been), shall snatch from us the glorious opportunity now offered of _laying open the interior regions of Africa_ to the commercial enterprise of Great Britain.

I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant,

VASCO DE GAMA. 494

The following curious Memoir was composed by Edmund Hogan, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and lately found amongst the papers of one of his descendants.

(A TRUE COPY.)

"_The Embassage of Mr. Edmund Hogan, one of the Sworne Esquires of her Ma't's Person, from her Highnesse to Muley Abdelmelech, Emperour of Morocco, and King of Fes and Sus, in the Yeare 1577. Written by himselfe_.

"I Edmund Hogan, being appointed Embassadour from the Queens Ma'tie to the above-named Emperour and King Muley Abdelmelech, departed with my company and servants from London the 22d April, 1577, being imbarked in the good ship called the Gallion, of London, and arrived in Azafi, a port of Barbary, the 21st of May next following. Immediately I sent Leonell Egerton ashoare with my letters directed to John Williams and John Bampton, who dispatched a courier to Morocco to know the Kings pleasure for my repaire to the court, which letters came to theire hands on the Thursday night. They with all speed gave the King understanding of it, who being glad thereof, speeded the next day certaine captaines, with souldiera and tents, with other provision, to Azafi; so that upon Whitsunday at night, the said captaines, with John Bampton, Robert 495 Washborne, and Robert Lion, and the Kings officers, came late to Azafi. In the meane time I remained aboard, and caused some of the goods to be discharged, for lightning of the ship; and I wrote in my letter that I would not lande 'till I knew the Kings pleasure. The 26th day, being Saturday, the Mark-speed arrived in the roade about two of the clock in the afternoone. The 27th day, being Whitsunday, came aboard the Gallion, John Bampton, and others, giving me to understand how much the King rejoyced of my safe arrivall, coming from the Queens Ma'tie; and how that for my safe conduct to the court he had sent four captaines, and an hundred souldiers well appointed, with a horse furnished, which he used himself to ride on, with all other furniture accordingly; they wished me also to come on land in the best order I could, as well for my self as my men, which I did, having to the number of ten men, whereof three were trumpeters. The ships being four, appointed themselves in the best order they could, for the best shew, and shott off all theire ordinance to the value of twenty marks in powder. At my coming, ashoare, I found all the souldiers well appointed on horseback, the captaines and the Govern'r of the towne standing as neer the water side as they could, with a jennet of the Kings, and rec'd me from the boate, declaring how glad his Ma'tie was of my safe arrivall, coming from the Queens Ma'tie my 496 Mistresse, and that he had sent them to attend upon me, it being his pleasure that I should tarrie there on shoare five or six dayes for my refreshing; so being mounted upon the jennet, they conducted me through the towne into a faire fielde upon the sea side, where there was a tent provided for me, and all the ground spread with Turkie carpets, and the castle discharged a peale of ordinance, and all things necessarie were brought into my tent, where I both tooke my table and lodging, and had other convenient tents for my servants. The souldiers inviron'd the tents, and watched about us day and night as long as I lay there, altho' I sought my speedier dispatch. On the Wednesday towards night, I tooke my horse, and travelled ten miles to the first place of water that wee could finde, and there pitched our tents 'till the next morning, and so traveled till ten of the clock, and then pitched our tents 'till four, and so traveled as long as day light would suffer, about twenty-six miles that day. The next day being Fryday, I traveled in like order but eight and twenty miles at the most; and by a [293]river, being about six miles within sight of the Citty of Morocco, wee pitched bur tents. Imediately after came all our English Merchants, and the French, on horseback, to meete me; and before night there came an Alcayde from the King with fiftie men, and divers mules laden with victuall and banket for my supper, 497 declaring unto me how glad the King shewed himselfe to hear of the Queens Ma'tie, and that his pleasure was I should be received into his countrey as never any Christian the like; and desired to know what time the next day I would come into his Citie, because he would that all the Christians, as also his Nobilitie, should meete me; and willed John Bampton to be with him early in the morning, which he did. About seven of the clock, being accompanied with the French and English Merchants, and a great number of souldiers, I passed towards the Citie, and by that time I had traveled two miles, there met me all the Christians of the Spaniards and Portugals to receive me, which I know was more by the Kings commandment then of any good wills of themselves; for some of them, although they speake me faire, hung downe theire heads like dogs, and especially the Portugals; and I countenanced them accordingly. So I passed on, 'till I came within two English miles of the Citie; and then John Bampton returned, shewing me that the King was so glad of my coming, that he could not devise to doe too much, to shew the good will that he did owe to the Queens Ma'tie and her Realme; His counsellors met me without the gates; and at the entrie of the gates, his footmen and guard were placed on both sides of my horse, and so brought me to the King's palace. The King sate in his chaire, with his Counsell about him, as well the Moores as the 498 Alkaids; and, according to his order given unto me before, I there declared my message in Spanish, and made deliverie of the Queens Ma't's letters, and all that I spake at that present in Spanish, he caused one of his Alkaids to declare the same to the Moores present in the Arabic tongue; which done, he answered me againe in Spanish, yeelding to the Queens Ma'tie great thankes, and offering himselfe and his countrey to be at her Graces comandment; and he comanded certaine of his counsellors to conduct me to my lodging, not being farr from the Court. The house was faire, after the fashion of that countrey, being dayly well furnished with all kinde of victuall at the Kings charge. The same night he sent for me to the court, and I had conference with him about the space of two houres; where I throughly declared the charge co'mitted unto me from her Ma'tie, finding him conformable, willing to pleasure, and not to urge her Ma'tie with any demands, more then conveniently she might willingly consent unto, hee knowing that out of his countrey the Realme of England might be better served with lackes, then he in comparison from us. Further, he gave me to understand, that the King of Spain had sent unto him for a licence that an Embassadour of his might come into his countrey, and had made great meanes, that if the Queens Ma'tie of England sent any unto him, that he would not give him any credit or entertainment; albeit (said he) I know what the 499 King of Spaine, and what the Queene of England and her realme is; for I neither like of him, nor of his religion, being so governed by the Inquisition, that he can doe nothing of himselfe. Therefore, when he cometh upon the licence which I have granted, he shall well see how little account I will make of him and Spaine, and how greatly I will extoll you for the Queenes Ma'tie of England; he shall not come to my presence as you have done, and shall dayly, for I minde to accept of you as my companion, and one of my house, whereas he shall attend twentie dayes after he hath done his message. After the end of this speech, I delivered Sir Thomas Gresham's letters; when as he tooke me by the hand, and led me downe a long court to a palace, where there ranne a faire fountaine of water, and there sitting himselfe in a chaire, he comanded me to sitt downe in another, and there called for such simple musicians as he had. Then I presented him with a greate base lute, which he most thankfully accepted, and then he was desirous to hear of the musicians; and I tolde him, that there was great care had to provide them, and that I did not doubt but upon my returne they should come with the first ship. He is willing to give them good entertainment, with provision of victuall, and to let them live according to theire law and conscience, wherein he urgeth none to the contrary. I finde him to be one that liveth greatly in the fear 500 of God, being well exercised in the Scriptures, as well in the Old Testament, as also in the New, and he beareth a greater affection to our nation then to others, because of our religion, which forbiddeth worship of idols; and the Moores called him the Christian King. The same night, being the first of June, I continued with him till twelve of the clock, and he seemed to have so good likeing of me, that he tooke from his girdle a short dagger, being sett with 200 stones rubies and Turkies, and did bestowe it upon me; and so I, being conducted, returned to my lodging for that time. The next day, because he knew it to be Sunday, and our Sabboth day, he did let me rest; but on the Monday in the afternoone he sent for me, and I had conference with him againe, and musick. Likewise on the Tuesday, by three of the clock, he sent for me into his garden, finding him layed upon a silk bed, complaining of a sore leg; yet, after long conference, he walked into another orchard, whereas having a fair banketing house, and a great water, and a new gallie in it, he went aboard the gallie, and tooke me with him, and passed the space of two or three houres, shewing the great experience he had in gallies, wherein (as he said) he had exercised himselfe eighteene yeares in his youth. After supper he shewed me his horses, and other co'modities that he had about his house; and since that night I have not seene him, for that he hath kept in with his sore legg; but he hath sent to me 501 dayly. The 18th of June, at six of the clock at night, I had againe audience of the King, and I continued with him, till midnight, having debated, as well for the Queenes co'mission, as for the well-dealing with her merchants for their traffick here in these parts, saying, he would do much more for the Queenes Ma'tie and the Realme; offering that all English ships with her subjects may with good securitie enter into his ports and dominions, as well in trade of merchandize, as for victuall and water, as also in time of warr with any of her enemies, to bring in prizes, and to make sales as occasion should serve, or else to depart againe with them at theire pleasure. Likewise for all English ships that shall passe along his Coast of Barbary, and threw the Streights into the Levant seas, and so to the Turks dominions, and the King of Algiers, as his owne; and that he would write to the Turke, and to the King of Algiers, his letters for the well using of our ships and goods. Also, that hereafter no Englishman that by any meanes may be taken captives, shall be sold within any of his dominions; whereupon I declared that the Queenes Ma'tie, accepting of these his offers, was pleased to confirme the intercourse and trade of our Merchants within this his countrey, as also to pleasure him with such commodities as he should have need of, to furnish the necessities and wants of his country in trade of merchandize, so as he required nothing contrary to her honour and law, and the breach of league with the Christian 502 Princes her neighbours. The same night I presented the King with the case of combes, and desired his Ma'tie to have speciall regard that the ships might be Iaden back againe, for that I found little store of salt-peter in readinesse in John Bampton's hands; he answered me, that I should have all the assistance therein that he could, but that in[294] Sus he thought to have some store in his house there, as also that the Mountainers had made much in a readinesse; I requested that he would sende downe, which he promised to doe. The eighteenth day I was with him againe, and so continued there till night; and he shewed me his house, with pastime in ducking with water spaniels, and baiting bulls with his English doggs. At this time I moved him againe for the sending downe to Sus, which he granted to doe; and the 24th day there departed Alcayde Mammie, with Lionell Egerton, and Rowland Guy, to Sus; and carried with them, for our accounts and his company, the Kings letters to his brother Muly Hammet, and Alcayde Shavan, and the Viceroy. The 23d day the King sent me out of Morocco to his garden called Shersbonare, with his guard and Alcayde Mamoute; and the 24th at night I came to the Court to see a Morris-dance, and a play of his Alkaids; he promised me audience the next day, being 503 Tuesday, but he putt it off 'till Thursday; and the Thursday at night I was sent for to the King after supper, and then he sent Alcayde Rodwan and Alcayde Gowry to conferr with me; but, after a little talk, I desired to be brought to the King for my dispatch. And being brought to him,. I preferred two bills of John Bampton's, which he had made for provision of salt-peter, also two bills for the quiet traffique of our English Merchants, and bills for sugars to be made by the Jewes, as well for the debts past, as hereafter, and for good order in the Ingenios. Also I moved him againe for the salt-peter, and other dispatches, which he referred to be agreed upon by the two Alcaydes. But the Fryday, being the 20th, the Alcaydes could not intend it, and upon Saturday Alcayde Rodwan fell sick; so on Sunday wee made meanes to the King, and that afternoone I was sent for to conferre upon the bargaine with the Alcaydes and others; but did not agree. Upon Tuesday I wrote a letter to the King for my dispatch; and the same afternoone I was called againe to the Court, and referred all things to the King, accepting his offer of salt-peter. That night againe the King had me into his gallie, and the spaniels did hunt the duck. The Thursday I was appointed to weigh the 300 quintals grosse of salt-peter,, and that afternoone the Tabybe came unto me to my lodging, shewing me that the King was offended with John Bampton for divers causes. The 504 Sunday night late, being the 7th July, I got the King to forgive all to John Bampton, and the King promised me to speake againe with me upon Monday. Upon Tuesday I wrote to him againe for my dispatch, and then he sent Fray Lewes to me, and said, that he had order to write. Upon Wednesday I wrote againe; and he sent me word that I should come and be dispatched, so that I should depart upon Fryday without faile, being the 12th July. So the Fryday after, according to the Kings order and appointment, I went to the Court; and whereas motion and petition was made for the confirmac'on of the demands which I had preferred, they were all granted, and likewise which were on the behalfe of our English Merchants requested, were with great favour and readinesse yeilded unto. And whereas the Jewes there resident, were to our men in certaine round sum'es indebted, the Emperor's pleasure and co'mandment was, that they should without further excuse or delay pay and discharge the same. And thus at length I was dismissed with great honour and speciall countenance, such as hath not ordinarily bene shewed to other Embassadors of the Christians. And touching the private affairs intreated upon betwixt her Ma'tie and the Emperour, I had letters from him to satisfie her Highnesse therein. So to conclude, having received the like honourable conduct from his Court, as I had for my part at my first landing, I imbarked myself with my foresaid 505 company; and arriving not long after in England, I repaired to her Ma'ties Court, and ended my embassage to her Highnesses good liking, with relation of my service performed."

[Footnote 293: The Tensift.]

[Footnote 294: Great quantities of superior saltpetre are produced at Terodant in Suse.]

_Letter from the Author to Macvey Napier, Esq. F.R.S.L. and E._

Sir, London, 17th January, 1818.

Having read, with considerable satisfaction, your very able and judicious dissertation respecting Africa, in the new Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica, I will take the liberty to offer some animadversions that have occurred to me in the perusal of that very interesting article.

_Bahr Kulla_ I conceive to be an immerged country, of considerable extent, similar to Wangara; for the name, which is Arabic, implies as much. The correct orthography, translated literally into English is _Bahr Kulha_, which signifies the sea, wholly or altogether, implying, therefore, an alluvial country.

Respecting goat-skins dyed red or yellow, these are not brought by caravans from central Africa to Marocco, but are manufactured at Marocco, Fas, Mequinas, and Terodant the metropolis of Suse, from which manufactories they are conveyed to the interior regions for sale. Goat-skins, with the hair, in the raw state only, are exported from Mogodor to England. 506 When Moore asserted that there was no such river as the Niger, he evidently meant that the _natives of Africa_ knew it not by that name; which is undoubtedly correct; for the word being an European word, it would not be known in Africa: but its translation into Arabic is _Bahar El Abeed_, i. e. the river of Negroes. Edrissi called it Niger, from the same motive, viz. because it was so named by _Europeans_, and by them only.

I conceive that the hypothesis which has been credited by some, viz. that there is no receptacle for the two Niles, between Cashna and Timbuctoo, must now necessarily fall to the ground; since the sea of Sudan, first declared by me to be between Cashna and Timbuctoo, and since confirmed by Ali Bey, and by Park, in his second journey, can (as I apprehend) no longer be doubted: and it is not improbable that this is the common receptacle of the Nile of the West and the Nile of the East. This hypothesis is strengthened by the testimony of the Shereef Imhammed, who has said, that he himself saw the Nile, at Cashna, flowing so rapidly westward, that vessels could not stem the current. If this be true, the [295]_Ba Sea Feena_ of Park, which is only another name for the _Sea of Sudan_, must lie west of Cashna, and, probably, about the same 507 point that it is stated by me to be situated, viz. fifteen journeys of horse-travelling, or from 400 to 450 British miles east of Timbuctoo.

[Footnote 295: The Arabic orthography is _Bahar S'feena_ which being literally translated into English, signifies the Sea of Ships.]

The word _Djinawa_ is the African word that denominates Guinea, but I cannot imagine that it was ever intended to signify Gana. (See Supplement to Encyclopaedia Britannica, p. 104.)

You say there are, in Africa, two rivers to which the name of _Niger_ has been given: this is evidently an error, but possibly of the press only. There are, however, two rivers in Africa to which the name of _Neel_ has been given.

The Proceedings of the African Association, vol. i. p. 540, declare that the Nile is a name applied in Africa to any great river; but as this assertion is calculated to produce confusion in the geographical elucidation of the interior of that continent, and as it certainly is not the fact, I must here beg leave to contradict it, and declare that there are absolutely but two rivers in Africa, that bear the name Neel or Nile, viz. the Neel El Kabeer, Neele Sudan, or Neel El Abeed, i.e. the great Nile, the Nile of Sudan or the Nile of the Negroes; and Neele Masser, i.e. the Nile of Egypt.[296]

[Footnote 296: _Nile_ is a French term, and loses its proper pronunciation and is unintelligible when pronounced by an Englishman to an African; but if written _Neel_, and pronounced by an Englishman, it is intelligible.]

If my knowledge of the African Arabic can be of any service in 508 giving you the signification or correct orthography of African words, in the event of your favouring the public with a future edition of your New Supplement to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, any information that I can communicate to you will be very much at your service; and you may in this and in any other respect that regards Africa freely command my services.

_Observations on an Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Africa, by the late John Leyden, M.D., by Hugh Murray, Esq. F.R.S.E._

TO HUGH MURRAY ESQ. F.R.S.E.

Sir,

London, Feb. 1818.

You have certainly rendered to your country a service, in the publication of "The Travels and Discoveries in Africa, of the late John Leyden," the perusal of which has been to me a fund of instruction and entertainment; it is a most valuable work, and such a one as was wanted by the literary world, inasmuch as the judicious collection of the matter forms a most valuable epitome of African knowledge, collecting what was before distributed into many folios.

I anticipate that the information in this work, communicated to the public, will soon be circulated, and you will be called upon to supply a second edition. In the mean time, I take the liberty of submitting to your perusal a few cursory observations which I have 509 made during the perusal of it, on the accuracy of which you may assuredly rely. These apply for the most part to Arabian words, which have been by the moderns, as well as the ancients variously corrupted and mutilated. Desirous (for the information of those who really seek after African knowledge) that this book will pass through many editions. I am, &c.

JAMES GREY JACKSON.

_Cursory Observations_.

"The _Ludaia_, are not inhabitants of _Ludama_, they are a very numerous and warlike tribe of Arabs, inhabiting the Sahara, of which there are two or three emigrations or encampments in different and distant parts of Sahara; the Emperor of Marocco has some thousands of them in his army, and they are esteemed (next to the negroes, called Abeed Seedy Bukaree) his best troops. See the Map of the tracts from Fas and Arguin to Timbuctoo, facing page 1. Lat. N. 24 deg.. long. W. 3 deg..

"This serpent is the _Buska_, described in Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, &c. p. 109. Providence has afforded to man an opportunity of evading the attack of this deadly animal; for when it coils itself up, and by the strength of its tail darts forward fifteen or twenty yards at once, the person attacked, by watching vigilantly its motions, evades the attack, by moving only a short distance from the right line, in which it is prepared to dart 510 forwards; neither can the _Buska_ govern itself in the extent of its movement, but necessarily goes as far as its strength will permit, and then coils itself up again in a circular form, again erects its head, and darts a second time to its object. I have conversed with Arabs, who have been attacked by this monster, and they have assured me, that, by vigilantly watching its motion, and the direction of its head, when preparing to dart forward, they may escape its attack.[297]

"It is not correct to assert that _Nasari is a general term_, applied to infidels in Muhamed; it is applied to Christians only. _Kaffer is the general term_ applied to all who have not faith in the Arabian Prophet.[298]

"That which you call the Talk Tree, is the tree which produces the Barbary gum; the name is _talh_.[299]"

[Footnote 297: Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 306.]

[Footnote 298: Ibid, p. 429.]

[Footnote 299: Ibid. 204.]

"The _Keydenah_.--This is the Sudanic name for the tree which produces the Argan nut, or olive, the _kernel_ of which resembles a bitter almond, and from _it_, not from the shell, they extract the oil, so celebrated for frying fish, and for burning; a pint of which will afford light as long as two pints of olive oil.

"The She plant, or properly Sheh is not wild thyme, nor does it resemble it, it is the wormseed plant, the seed of which is an 511 article of exportation, from the ports of Marocco, The sheh resembles the absynthum. The wild thyme is called _zatar_, also an article of exportation from the ports of the Marocco empire.[300]

"The _Alsharra_ signifies the Book of Laws of Muhamed.[301]

"_Gebel Ramlie_ should be written _Jibbel Rummelie_, i.e. the Sandy Mountain.[302]

"The Elwah [303]Elgarbie is inhabited by the Maggrebee Arabs. My late friend, Muley Abd Salam, elder brother to Muley Soliman, the reigning Emperor of Marocco, had a very large estate in this Wah, called Santariah. In the 1793d year of the Christian era, he sent his friend and servant Alkaid Muhammed ben Abd Saddack, late governor of Mogodor, to effect the sale of this estate. He was absent on this embassy two years and three months.[304]

"_Sheb_ is the Arabic for alum, the correct orthography is _Shib_.[305]

"_Marybucks_ should be _Marabet_, i.e. Priests, or Holy Muhamedans.[306]

"The primitive plough is used in all the African countries inhabited by the Arabs, or their descendants; the negroes, however, use the hoe." [307]

[Footnote 300: Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 312.]

[Footnote 301: Ibid, p. 334.]

[Footnote 302: Ibid, p. 398.]

[Footnote 303: Let the African traveller be careful to pronounce these g's guttural (Arabic.)]

[Footnote 304: Ibid, p. 399.]

[Footnote 305: Ibid. ibid.]

[Footnote 306: Ibid. p. 225.]

[Footnote 307: Ibid. p. 227.]

512 "The Mouselmines is a French corruption of the term Muselman, i.e. Mohamedans.

"Mongearts, i.e. Moguert, the g guttural.

"Ouadelim, i.e. Wooled Deleim, or the sons of Deemy.

"Labdessebah, i.e. Woled Abbusebah, 'the sons of Abbusebah.'[308]

"Wed de Non, i.e. Wedinoon.

"The herb, with a decoction of which they dye their nails and hands, is called by the Arabs _El Henna_: it imparts a coolness and softness to the hands, and diminishes the excessive perspiration incident to warm climates.[309]

"Hooled ben Soliman ought to be Woled ben Soliman, 'the sons of the sons of Soliman;' and Benioled, should be Ben El Waled, 'the sons of Elwaled.'[310]

"The small beautiful species of deer, is the _El Horreh:_ it is an inhabitant of the confines of the Saharah; it is said never to lie down. It produces the anti-poison called bezoar stone, (called in the Arabic _Bide El Horrek_, i.e. the testicle of the Horreh.) This is an article of commerce at Santa Cruz, and Wedinoon. The back and sides of the skins of these animals are of a red brown, and of a vivid white underneath." [311]

[Footnote 308: Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 262.]

[Footnote 309: Ibid. p. 291.]

[Footnote 310: Ibid. p. 299.]

[Footnote 311: Ibid. p. 303.]

513 TO JAMES GREY JACKSON, ESQ.

Sir,

Edinburgh, May 3. 1818.

I have lately been favoured with two communications from you:--the one a letter to Mr. Napier, editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, on the subject of the article _Africa_, of which I was the author, and which Mr. Napier, therefore, put into my hands; the other, a letter direct to myself, on the subject of my edition of "Leyden's Discoveries in Africa." I fully intended to have answered them before now, but the pressure of other business, with the wish to bestow upon them the leisurely consideration which they merited, has hitherto prevented me. I feel much gratified by the favourable opinion which you express of what I have done on this subject, and much obliged to you for your communications, and offers of further information. I experienced very much the disadvantage arising from a want of knowledge of the languages of North Africa, with which you appear to have a _very extensive acquaintance. Indeed, several of the etymologies which you have given, are very interesting_. I was particularly pleased to receive that of the term _Ba Sea Feena_, though I cannot conceal that it tends to strengthen the doubts which I have entertained of its applying to the sea on the Gold Coast. The distance, the direction southwards, the Christians, the motion one way and another, and even the ships, are all 514 circumstances which would agree. There are arguments, however, against it; and it is certain that Park did not so understand it. Do you think there is any chance that the Bahr Soudan could be the Gulf of Guinea?

If you are acquainted with any circumstances which could tend to confirm or refute the narrative of Sidi Hamet, as given by Riley, or throw light upon Riley's general credibility; or if you have ever heard any report of such a city as _Wassanah_, I should feel particularly obliged to you for communicating such information: and whenever I find myself at a loss, I shall gladly avail myself of the liberality with which you show yourself disposed to impart the knowledge of which you have become possessed.

I shall communicate this letter to Mr. Napier; and it is but fair to mention, that, from the circumstances already stated, I am solely responsible for the too long delay which has taken place in answering your letter to him, as well as that to myself.

HUGH MURRAY.

_On the Niger and the Nile._

London, 7th April, 1820.

In the 25th number of the Quarterly Review, (article Park's Travels,) the hypothesis there laid down as almost indisputable, is 515 the non-continuity of the two Niles of Africa, or (according to the European phraseology of the day) of the Niger and the Nile.

This hypothesis founded on the opinion of Major Rennel, carries with it no evidence whatever, but the speculative theory of that learned geographer. The identity or connection of the two Niles, and the consequent water communication between[312] Cairo and Timbuctoo receives (supposing the Quarterly Review to be correct), as our intelligence respecting Africa increases, additional confirmation: and even the Quarterly Reviewer, who denominated the opinion recorded by me, the gossipping stories of Negroes, (_vide_ Quarterly Review, No. 25, p. 140.) now favours this opinion!

The Quarterly Reviewer appreciates Burckhardt's information on this subject, and depreciates mine, _although both are derived from the same sources of[313] intelligence, and confirm one another_: the reviewer says, Mr. Burckhardt has revived a question of older date; viz. "that the Niger of Sudan and the Nile of Egypt are one and the same river: this general testimony to a physical fact can be shaken only by direct proof to the contrary."

[Footnote 312: _Vide_ Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, p. 310.]

[Footnote 313: _i. e_. Intelligence from natives of Africa.]

This is all very well: I do not object to the Quarterly Reviewer giving up an opinion which he finds no longer tenable; but when I see in the same review (No. 44, p. 481.) the following words,--"we 516 give no credit whatever to the report received by Mr. Jackson, of a person (several Negroes[314], it should be) having performed a voyage by water from Timbuctoo to Cairo," I cannot but observe with astonishment, that the Reviewer believes Burckhardt's report, that they are the same river, when, at the same time he does not believe mine.

[Footnote 314: _Vide_ Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, p. 312.]

Is there not an inconsistency here, somewhat incompatible with the impartiality which _ought_ to regulate the works of criticism? I will not for a moment suppose it to have proceeded from a spirit of animosity, which I feel myself unconscious of deserving. But the reviewer further says, the objection to the identity of the Niger and the Nile, is grounded on the incongruity of their periodical inundations, or on the rise and fall of the former river not corresponding with that of the latter. I do not comprehend whence the Quarterly Reviewer has derived this information; I have always understood the direct contrary, which I have declared in the enlarged editions of my account of Marocco, page 304, which has been confirmed by a most intelligent African traveller, Ali Bey, (for which see his travels, page 220.)

I may be allowed to observe, that although the Quarterly Reviewer has changed his opinion on this matter, I have invariably maintained mine, founded as it is on the concurrent testimony of the best informed and most intelligent native African travellers, 517 and I still assert, on the same foundation, _the identity of the two Niles, and their continuity of waters_.

I have further to remark what will most probably ere long prove correct; viz. that the _Bahar Abiad_[315], that is to say, the river that passes through the country of Negroes, between Senaar and Donga, is an erroneous appellation, originating in the general ignorance among European travellers of the African Arabic, and that the proper name of this river is Bahar Abeed, which is another term for the river called the Nile-el-Abeed, which passes south of Timbuctoo towards the east (called by Europeans the Niger).

It therefore appears to me, and I really think it must appear to every unbiassed investigator of African geography, that every iota of African discovery, made successively, by Hornemann[316], Burckhardt, and others, tends to confirm _my water communication between Timbuctoo and Cairo_, and the theorists and speculators in African geography, who have heaped hypothesis upon hypothesis, error upon error, who have raised splendid fabrics upon pillars of ice, will ere long close their book, and be compelled, by the force of truth and experience, to admit the fact stated about twelve years ago by me in my account of Marocco, &c. viz. _that the Nile 518 of Sudan and the Nile of Egypt are identified by a continuity of waters, and that a water communication is provided by these two great rivers from Timbuctoo to Cairo_; and moreover, that the general African opinion, _that the Neel-el-Abeed_ (Niger) _discharges itself into the_ (Bahar el Maleh) _Salt Sea, signifies neither more nor less than that it discharges itself at the Delta in Egypt, into the Mediterranean Sea_!

JAMES GREY JACKSON.

[Footnote 315: Bahar Abiad signifies White River; Bahar Abeed signifies River of Negroes.]

[Footnote 316: _Vide_ my letter in Monthly Magazine on this subject for March, 1817, p. 124.]

APPENDIX

BEING HISTORICAL FRAGMENTS IN ELUCIDATION OF THE FOREGOING PAGES.

_First Expedition on Record to Timbuctoo.--Timbuctoo and Guago captured by Muley Homed, (son of Muley Abdelmelk, commonly called Muley Melk[317], or Muley Moluck,) in the 16th Century, (about the Year 1580_.)

[Footnote 317: See the Spectator, No. 349.]

Muley Abdelmelk, commonly called Muley Moluck, in 1577, A.C. fought the celebrated battle with Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, near Alkassar, which is at a short distance from L'Araich, wherein Don Sebastian was killed; and Abdelmelk being, before the battle, extremely ill, his son Muley Hamed went to his litter, to communicate to the Emperor his father, that the Moors had gained the victory, when he found his father dead and cold. Muley Hamed concealed this event till the battle was over; and was then proclaimed Emperor, and reigned twenty-six years: he cultivated the arts and sciences, mathematics and astronomy, which last was of essential service to him in crossing the Sahara to Timbuctoo and Guago; during which perilous journey the compass is so indispensable, that there is no certainty of travelling without it. He lost some thousands in this expedition; but if gold could recompense the waste of human life, he was rewarded for his journey of abstinence and privation across the Sahara, for he brought from Guago seventy-five quintals, and from Timbuctoo sixty quintals, of gold-dust, making together one hundred and thirty-five quintals, or 16,065 lb. English avoir-du-poids weight of gold.

_A Library of Arabic Manuscripts taken by the Spaniards,--Contests among Christians reprimanded._

Muley Sidan, son of Muley Hamed, disputed the throne of Marocco, A.C. 1611, with three brothers, one of whom was supported by the Spaniards, whose succour was purchased by his delivering into their hands the port of L'Araich, soon after which they gained a naval victory over the forces of Sidan, which was very disastrous to the Africans; for the Spaniards, besides other plunder, got possession of 3000 Arabic books, on theology, philosophy, and medicine. Sidan, however, notwithstanding this disaster, maintained his right to the crown. He was of a liberal and charitable mind. He protected and granted to the Christians various privileges; but _he ordered that Christians of all sects, and denominations should live in peace one with another_.

One day, some (_Userah_) Christian slaves of Provence, in France, who were Catholics, had a controversial dispute with others from Rochelle, who were Calvinists. This dispute ended in a violent contest, accompanied with blows on either side; this scene excited the curiosity of the Muselmen, who were surprised to see Christians thus fight among themselves on points of their own law! The report of this battle was carried to Sidan, who ordered all these slaves to be brought before him. He condemned some to a bastinado, which was inflicted in his presence. He then addressed them thus:--"I command you all, on pain of death, not to dispute in future on the various dogmas of your law: every one has the presumption to think _himself_ right; and as I allow every individual in my dominions to follow the religion that he chooses for himself; _slaves ought to have among themselves the same toleration_".

_Muley El Arsheed, (a second Expedition to Timbuctoo and Sudan.)_

This Sultan preceded the renowned Muley Ismael, on the throne of Marocco: he united to great ability the most ferocious disposition, and was continually inebriated.--He crossed the Sahara to Timbuctoo, with a numerous army, about the year of Christ 1670; proceeding to _Suse_, he laid siege to the Sanctuary of _Seedi Aly ben Aidar_, near _Ilirgh_: Seedi Aly, making his escape in disguise, fled to Sudan, whither he was followed by Muley El Arsheed, who, on his arrival on the confines of Sudan, between Timbuctoo and Jinnie, was met by a numerous host of Negroes, commanded by a black sultan: the Emperor demanded Aly ben Aidar; but the sultan of Bambarra replied, that, as he had claimed his protection, it would be an infringement on the laws of hospitality to deliver him up, adding, that he desired to know if the views of El Arsheed were hostile or not; to which the latter replied, after endeavouring in vain to procure the person of Aly, that he was not come hostilely, but was about to return, which he forthwith did: and the Bambareen sultan, having received from Aly two beautiful renegade virgins, was so much flattered with the present, that he promised him any thing that he should ask; whereupon, he requested permission to go to Timbuctoo, and to settle there with his numerous followers; which being granted, he proceeded thither, and having established a Moorish garrison, resided there several, months, and afterwards returned to Barbary, bringing with him many thousand Bambareen negroes: but, on his reaching Suse, he heard of the death of Muley El Arsheed, and having then no farther occasion for these negroes, he dismissed them. They went to various parts of the country, serving the inhabitants in order to procure daily subsistence; but the arch-politician Muley Ismael, who had then recently been proclaimed as his successor, ordered them to be collected together, and incorporated in his negro army, which was, however, before this, very numerous, consisting for the most part of blacks, brought away from Sudan by Muley El Arsheed the preceding year. The Sultan Ismael also seized this opportunity of establishing his authority at Timbuctoo, and he met with little or no opposition in putting that place under contribution. Having sent fresh troops to occupy the Moorish garrison there, the inhabitants were glad to make a contribution, in exchange for the protection and power which it afforded them; for previous to this, they had been subject to continual depredations, from the Arabs of the adjacent country, to whom they had been compelled to pay tribute, as a security for their caravans, which were constantly passing the country of these Arabs, who are of the race of Brabeesh. In the year 1727, A.C. when Ismael died, it is reported that he possessed an immense quantity of gold, of the purity of which, his gold coins, to be seen at this day at Timbuctoo, bear testimony; it is also said, that the massive bolts of his palaces were of pure gold, as well as the utensils of his kitchens. After his decease, however, the tribute was discontinued, and the Moorish garrison at Timbuctoo, intermarrying with the natives, and dispersing themselves in the neighbouring country, has given to Timbuctoo that tincture of Muselman manners, which they are known to possess; their descendants forming, at this period, a considerable portion of the population of Timbuctoo.

_Third Expedition to Timbuctoo and Sudan_.

Muley Ismael died of an abscess in 1727, and was succeeded by his youngest son Muley Hamed Dehebby, a most avaricious prince, whose treasure, collected in his government during the life of his father, amounted to ten millions; to which was now added his father's treasury, amounting to fifty millions, besides jewels and diamonds to a much larger amount.

Dehebby[318], sanguinary and cruel when sober, was mild, affable, and humane when intoxicated: unlike Muselmen, he believed not in predestination, but had always several surgeons and doctors in his suite, and consulted them with the most unlimited confidence when ill. He decorated the palace of Marocco: in one of the apartments of the seraglio, of which he had had painted, in a superior style, the twelve signs of the zodiac; for which his ignorant and bigoted subjects accused him of having conspired against the Deity, in imitating, by gross and ill-formed images, the works of the Almighty. This prince was an intolerable drunkard; so that the Marabets and chiefs of the empire called Abdelmelk to the throne, whom they enabled to take possession of Mequinas. This prince, anticipating the revenge of Dehebby, proposed to deprive him of his eye-sight; but the Marabets and chiefs opposed this resolution and replied to him in the following words:--"It is not for his crimes that we have deposed thy brother, but for his continual intoxication, which prevented him from watching over the government and his officers: he has therefore only been guilty of weakness, which is not a punishable crime." Abdelmelk dared not push his point, but was contented to send his brother to the (_Bled Shereef_), country of princes, i.e. Tafilelt. Before Dehebby was dethroned, he marched with a numerous army across Sahara, to Timbuctoo, of which he took possession, and brought home immense quantities of gold.

[Footnote 318: His proper name was Muley Hamed ben Ismael, the name Dehebby is figurative of his riches in gold.]

1730.--Muley Hamed Dehebby dying, should have been succeeded by his son Muley Bouffer; but money and intrigue gave power to Abdallah, a son of Muley Ismael, who was proclaimed in spite of the efforts of his nephew, whom he attacked at Terodant, the capital of Suse. Bouffer was taken, together with a Marabet, his confidential friend and counsellor. Abdallah ordered them both to be brought before him.--"Thou art young," said he to his nephew; "thou hadst imprudently undertaken more than thou couldst accomplish; and in consideration of thy youth and inexperience, I pardon thee, but I will be revenged of thy counsellor." Then turning himself to the Marabet, "Thou, art a rebel," said he. "Didst thou imagine that thy sacred character, which thou hast abused against thy (_Seed_) Lord or King would prevent him from punishing thee? Let us see if thy sanctity will turn the edge of my sword."--In uttering these words, he struck off the saint's head.

I N D E X.

* * * * *

A.

ABDELMELK, the prince, moral reflection on his expensive apparel, 79. Is sent to Tafilelt, 80. _Abolition_ of Slavery depends on the Africans themselves, not on our naval force or operations, 270. _Abstinence_ experienced in the Sahara, 353. Means used to support it. Effects of, 354. _Abbuselah Woled_, Arabs of, 138. _Abdrahaman ben Nassar_, bashaw of Abda, interview with, 136. _Abdsalam_, prince, departs for Tafilelt, through Draha and Bled el jereed, 149. _Abeed_, 481. Seedi Bukaree, emperor's body guard, 481. _Aboukir_, battle of, its consequence to muselmen, 101. _Acephali_, 198. _Africa_, plan for the discovery of, 201. _African_ Association, Institution, &c. recommended to unite their energies and operations to cultivate a commercial intercourse with Africa, 228. The same recommended an a large scale, 249. African Company, a plan for, 251. African Association, disastrous expeditions of, 258. An union of the African interests beneficial, 271. African duplicity exemplified, 293. African Association might find the son of Ali Bey an acquisition in promoting their views, 304. _African_ names, how pronounced, 491. _Agadeer_, or Santa Cruz, port of, opened to Dutch commerce, 55. Apprehensions at Mogodor from the establishment of Santa Cruz, 56. Conveniently situated for the markets of Sudan. Denominated the gate of Sudan, 56. Port of, farmed by Muley Ismael, 57. Author's arrival at, to open the port to European commerce. Wretched state of its inhabitants. Honourable reception of the author there, 59. Disgraceful custom abolished by the author, 60. Propensity to commerce among the people of Suse. Sanctuary at the entrance of the town. Privilege of riding in and out of the town established by the author, for Christians of all denominations, 61. Commercial road made by the author down the mountain to facilitate the shipment of merchandise, 62. The spirit of the natives in working at it. Happy influence of commerce and industry on the people. Portuguese tower in the neighbourhood, 63. Description of the town, 64. Strength of, and convenient situation for a depot, 65. Mitferes, depositaries for water, 65. Attempt of the Danes to establish a colony in its vicinage, at Agadeer Arba. Battery at, 66. Safe road for shipping. Inhabitants friendly to the English, 67. Port of, shut by the Emperor, and the garrison and merchants ordered to go to Marocco, and from thence to quit the country or establish at Mogodor, 79. Negociation for the port of, from the emperor, 246. _Agricultural_ property, division of, 330. Agriculture, 339. _Aisawie_, or charmers of serpents described, 430. _Ait Attar_, or Attarites, an independent kabyl or clan, 311. _Akka_, 7. Depot for camels, 248. _Akkaba_, kaffilas, or caravans to Timbuctoo, where eligible to be established, 263. _Akkaba_, what, 345. _Akkad_, its signification, 411. _Alk Sudan_, what, 345. _Altitude_ of the Atlas mountains, 93, 94. _Ali Bey_, an account of; 297. Suspicions entertained respecting him. His magnificent mode of living. Excites the suspicion of the governor of Marocco, 300. He is prevented from visiting the Atlas mountains, 301. He is favoured by the emperor, 302. Stratagem practised to ascertain what religion he followed. Ordered to embark at Laraich. Is separated from his wife. Her conduct. He predicts an eclipse, 303. Passes for a learned man. Suspected to be an agent of Bonaparte. His son resides at Fas, patronised by the Marabet Muley Dris or Idris, 304. _Algiers_, attack of, recommended to the Emperor of Marocco, 283. _Almonds_, plantations of, 74. _Ambassador_, British, the author's interview with. Great honor shown to him on his entry into Tangier, 127. _Amber_, manufactured imitation of, at Fas, 126. 216. _Amaranites_, or Ait Amaran, a tribe of Berebbers, 124. _Amak_, the poet, his sumptuous style of living, 353. _Amorites_, of the, 475. ------, or Ait Amor, 122. Descendants of the ancient Amorites, 124. Anecdotes of, 193. _Amusements_ of Europeans at Marocco, 89. _Anachronism_ of the author misapplied, 442. _Angola_, natives of, how converted to Christianity, 442. _Anti-commercial_ system, 211. _Antiperistasis_ of the Africans, how promoted, 230. _Antimony_ mines, 331. _Anecdote_ of an Emperor, 307. _Anecdotes_, fragments, and notes, 276. _Antithesis_, a favourite figure with the Arabs, 349. _Apparel_ of the emperor, plain and simple, 79. _Arabs_, cookery of, 64. Riches of, in what they consist, 247. Dance and music, 140. Abstinence of, 141. Beauty of their women, 142. Patriarchal life of, 143. 196. Arab royalty personified, 195. Customs of, 244. Of Sahara, hostile to those who do not understand their language, 262. The manners of, resemble those of the patriarchal ages, 276. The study of their language and customs the best comment on the Old Testament, 276. Their territory and origin, 328. Decay of science and arts among, 352. ------, sheiks of, hold themselves accountable for the property, baggage, &c. of travellers, 233. _Arabic_ document distributed by Mr. Bowdich in Africa, to the natives, unintelligible, 492. ------, language, on the, 471. The language of Palestine resembles that of West Barbary, 473. ----------, general utility of, a practical knowledge of in Africa, 258. On the language, 357. Arabian music, 318. Arabic grammar, errors in Richardson's, 351. Pure Arabic, where spoken, 351. Arabian modes of writing, 350, Errors committed by professors of, who have not a practical knowledge of the language, 39. ----------, universality of the, 473. ------, translations of documents in, furnished to government by the author, 407. ------, manuscripts, 3000 taken by the Spaniards, 520. ------, interpreter, the author officiates as, with the prince Muley Teib, 192. _Architecture_ described, 90. Gothic prevails, 271. _Argan_ tree, and oil of, 510. ------, trees, oil of the, productive of leprosy if not properly prepared, 91. _Ashantee_, intercourse through, with Timbuctoo objectionable, and why, 249. _Atlas_, foot of, a productive country, 74. Table land in, and produce of, 75. Narrow defile or pass, 76. Calculated altitude of, 93. _Attarites_, or Ait Attar, a tribe of Berebbers, 124. _Audiences_ of the emperor, introductory, of business, of leave or departure, 89. _Author's_ intelligence respecting the interior of Africa, considered valuable, 99. ------, travels in disguise, 136. _Azamore_, 110.

B.

_Bab_ Sudan, 456. _Badge_ of distinction worn by the lepers, 91. _Bahar_ Segrer, the Mediterranean designated by that term, 489. ------, Sudan, corroborative testimony of its situation, 450, 451, 465. ----------, situation of, 436. ------, Kulla, explanation of the term, 444. Ditto of Bahar Sudan, 448. ------, El Kabeer, or Bahar Addolum, Atlantic Ocean designated by that name, 489. ------, El Abeed, not Bahar El Abiad, 517. _Ba_ Scafeena, of Park, synonymous with the sea of Sudan, 450, 465. ----------, of Park, synonymous with the sea of Sudan, properly called Bahar S'feena, 506. _Bank_, in West Barbary, recommended, 237. _Banks_, Sir Joseph's letter to Mr. Dickson, respecting the death of Mungo Park, a passage in it confirmed only in Mr. Jackson's translation of the Shereef Ibrahim's account of that traveller's death, brought by Mr. Bowdich from Ashantee, but not in Mr. Saleme's translation, 425. The author's translation, 409. _Barbary_, conquered by the Romans, by the Vandals, by the Greeks, by the Arabs, 458. Partial conquest of by the Portuguese and Spaniards, 458. --------, travelling in, 293. _Bashaw_ of Abda, interview with, 136. _Bedouins_, emigration of. Camel's milk, their food, 203. Domestic looms of. Manufactures of. Custom of, 204. Mode of living. Extempore poetry of, 205. Manners of, 206. _Beef_, mode of preserving for food in the desert, 349. _Berebbers_, their contest with the emperor, 308. Their territory and language, 327. Names of their clans or tribes, 124. Specimen of their language, 367. _Bernou_, etymology of, 449. _Bism illak, and El Ham'd u lillah_, signification of, 231. _Bonaparte_, his system respecting Africa, 229. _Bouska_, exhibition of that monstrous serpent, 451. _Brimstone_ mines, 331. _British_ public, address to, 253. _Buffe_, Dr. his medical success at Marocco, 396. He is recommended to his majesty George the Third, and his majesty is requested, by the emperor, to return him to Gibraltar, to reside there as the emperor's physician, 397. _Buhellessa_, the pretender, described, 287. He is an adept in the occult sciences, 288. He marches with 22,000 men to attack Delemy's castle, 289. He is vanquished and beheaded, 290. His army dispersed, his head and feet sent to the Prince Muley Abdsalam, at Santa Cruz, 290. The prince rewards the man who killed the usurper: the author visits the field of battle, which resembled the plains of Waterloo, 291. _Buregreg_ river, 113. _Burkhardt_, anticipation respecting, 449. _Butellise_, or night-blindness, described, 332. --------, or nyctalopia, an ophthalmia that affects our seamen in the Mediterranean, 433. _Butter_, melted, food in the desert, 6.

C.

_Camel_, the ship of the desert, 247. _Caffer_, or Khaffer, signification of, 345. _Cairo_, derivation of the name, 326. _Canary_ language resembles the shelluh of Atlas, 381. _Caravans_ accumulate as they proceed to the confines of Sahara, 4. _Cape_ of Good Hope, how to preserve, and to improve its produce, 339, 340. _Cape de Verd_, compared to Ceuta, 229. _Ceuta_, preparation for the siege of, by the emperor Muley Yezzid, 403. _Christians_, harmony among, necessary to precede the conversion of Africa, 131. _Christian_ religion, how to propagate it in Africa, 224. --------, impediments to its propagation, 225. --------, the influence of its principles in Africa, 227. _Civilisation_ of Africa, the necessary result of commerce, and the only plan by which an expectation of the conversion of the natives to Christianity can possibly be indulged, 263. ----------, of Africa, through commerce, the only effectual means of abolishing the slave trade, 270. _Civil_ war prevalent in West and in South Barbary, 279. _Characteristic_ trait of Muhamedans, 308. _Christians_, ordered by the emperor, on pain of death, to live peaceably with one another, 520. _Christ_ acknowledged by muselmen, 240. _Circumcision_, when performed among Muhamedans, 345. _Cobas_ described, 272. _Colonial_ produce, consequences of the cultivation of, in Senegal by the French, 228. _Commercial_ intercourse with Africa favourable to the propagation of Christianity, 227. ----------, Recommended on a large scale, 249. 251. 259. _Commercial_ adventurer in Africa more likely to succeed than a scientific one, 259. _Commerce_, the key of Africa, 428. _Communication_ with Africa to be effected by the medium of commerce, 493. _Connubial_ customs, 313. _Copper_ mines, 331. _Corn_, abundant at Dar el Beida and at Fedalla, 110. Abundance of, in West Barbary, 208. 340. _Couriers_, confidence reposed in them, 405. _Coffee_ of Timbuctoo, 279. _Consuls_ of the European powers, their residence, 130. _Congo_, Africans of, how converted to the Christian faith, 442. _Continental_ markets of Europe, contemplation how they will be supplied with colonial produce, 229. _Cuscusoe_, or more properly Kuskasoe, an excellent food, mode of preparing it, 97. _Customs_, Muhamedan, 230. _Cuba_, slave-trade and produce of, increased, 270. _Customs_ of the shelluhs of Idaultit, and laws of, remarkable, 313. _Customs_, ceremonies at funerals, 465.

D.

_Dances_ of the Arabs described, music of, 140. 344. _Dates_ abundant at Tafilelt, 80. _Dar el Beida_, a corn country, 110. _Dead_, bodies of the, never interred in towns or in the mosques, 272. Ceremony of interment, 273. _Deism_, 325. _Deef Allah_, what, 341. _Decay_ of science and the arts among the Arabs, 352. _Delel_, i.e. auctioneer of slaves at Marocco, 95. _Deleim_, woled Arabs, 138. _Decked_ vessels in the interior of Africa, 449. _Delemy_, sheik of the Deleim Arabs, 138. Invites the author and his companion, Signor Andrea de Christo, to pass the night at a douar of the Woled Abbusebah Arabs, 139. Garden of, described, 147. Renown of, 148. A main pillar to the throne of Marocco, 148. Receives an exhortation from the prince Abdsalam to give battle to the usurper Buhellessa, 288. Dextrous in the management of a horse, 289. _Desert_, rate of travelling through, 470. _Dews_ of the night, how they secure themselves against, when sleeping, 154. _Deef Allah_, custom of uttering, 233. _Dimenet_, in the Atlas, attacked by the emperor, 305. _Difference_ between the oriental and occidental Arabic alphabets, 351. _Djinawa_, definition of the name, 507. _Distances_ from port to port, along the coast, calculated, 132. _Discovery_ of Africa, plan for, 200. _Disgrace_ of inhospitality, 240. _Doctors_, itinerant, their apparatus, 242. _Douars_, or villages of tents, described, 328. _Draha_, province of, 2. Hire of camels from Tafilelt to, 2. Dates, the names of the different species, 3. Plantations of, 3. Inhabitants of nearly black, 2. Character of them, 2. 7. _Drahim_, what, 3. _Driss Zerone Muley_, renowned sanctuary of, 118. Author's hospitable reception there, and admission to the adytum, 119. _Duplicity_ of the Africans exemplified, 293. 314.

E.

_East_ India trade, our, how likely to be affected by French colonisation, in Senegal, 229. _Ebekoaits_, or Ait Ebeko, a tribe of Berebbers, 124. _Effah el_, exhibition of that venomous serpent, 453. _Elephants_, 8. _Elegant_ females, 142. _Emperor_ admits an ambassador without prostration, and why, 282. --------, Yezzid is wounded, and dies, 285. His body exhumated, 286. Compared to his majesty George the Fourth, 287. _Emperor_, anecdote of one, 307. His contest with the Berebbers, 308. Letter from him to his bashaw of Suse respecting English seamen wrecked on the western coast of Africa, 364. Titles of H.I.M., 382. Style of addressing him, 382. _Emperor's_ letters, 384, 387, 392, 394, 395, 398, 402, 403, 405. ----, plan of reconciling catholics with protestants, 520. ----, table, simplicity of the furniture of, 96. ----, audience of business of the, 98. Audience of leave in the garden of the Nile, 98. _Embassy_, British, to Marocco, result of, 128. _Encroachments_ of the French anticipated on our colonial arkets, 230. _Encyclopedia_ Britannica, misapplication of an anachronism, 442. The editor of has adopted the author's opinion respecting the course of the Niger, 447. _Epistolary_ correspondence, 382. _Epistolary_ diction used by Muhamedans, 404. _Equity_, case of, 312. _Esshume_, See _Shume_. _Euphorbium_ plant, 74. _European_ merchants at Mogador in danger of being decollated by order of the emperor, on a charge of high-treason, 284.

F.

_Fas_, bankrupts, how treated at, 16. Is the metropolis of the north, 87. Talb Cadus, 87. ----, gold thread manufactured at, of a superior quality, 126. Manufactures, various of, 126. ----, houses of the merchants of, described, and gardens at, 275. Library at, 324. _Fakeers_, or muselmen-saints excite hostility between Christians and Muhamedans, 267. _Fedalla_, corn country, 110. _Fig-trees_, very large, 82. _Food_, 316. Food of the desert, 349. ----, of the Arabs similar to that used in the days of Abraham, 243. _Fourban_, Comte de, anecdote of, 112, 113. _Fragments_, notes, and anecdotes, 276. _French_ army, landing of, in Egypt, 100. _Fruits_ of all kinds abundant at Salee and Rabat, 114, 125. _Fruga_, town of, 76, 78.

G.

_Game_, plentiful. Not sold in the public market. Custom on shooting it, 338. Strangled, what game so called, 338. _Garrison_ of Tangier salutes the ambassador, 127. _Garb el_, what, so called, 2. _Garden_, imperial, the merchants encamped at Marocco in, 88. Names and produce of, 81. _Geography_ of Africa, on the, 474. _George_ IV. compared to the Emperor Muley Yezzid, 287. ----, a patron to science and the arts, 429. _Genoa_, its indirect commerce with Timbuctoo, 254. _Girwan ait_, or Girwanites, a tribe of Berebbers, 124. _Gold dust_, gold bars, wrought gold, 67. ----, and bars, consignment of, to Fas from Timbuctoo, 347. _Gold thread_, superior manufactory of, at Fas, 215. ----, of a superior quality, manufactured at Fas, 126. _Government_, offer to it, to discover the remedy for nyctalopia, 335. _Great Britain_, its indirect commerce with Timbuctoo, 255. _Grored el_, or sandy desert of Mogodor, 83. _Gum_ Sudan, 67. Gum Barbary, 67. Gum Euphorbium, 74. Gum sandrac. Gum ammoniac, 67. ----, called in England, Turkey gum Arabic, 345. _Gun-barrels_, manufacture of, 331. _Gutta serena_, probable remedy for the cure of, 335, 336. Galvanism, beneficial in, 336.

H.

_Hawking_, and hunting the boar, sports followed by princes, 338. _Hassua el_, described, 242. _Heirie_, Jackson's account of, confirmed by Colonel Fitzclarence, 489. _Hel shual_, and Hel elkilleb, what, 198. Hel ferdie, what, 200. _Hemeralopia_, or night-blindness described, 332. _Henna_, an herb with which the Arabian, Moorish, Shelluh, Berebber, and Jewish women dye their feet, hands, and hair, and why, 512. _Hire_ of camels from Akka to Santa Cruz, 346. _Hogan's_ embassy to the emperor of Marocco, from queen Elizabeth, 489. _Honey_ of Haha, 153. _Hospitality_ of the Arabs, cultivators of west and south Barbary, 131. 239. ----------, laws of, 340. Disinterested hospitality shown to the author, 342. Inviolability of the laws of, among the Bedouin Arabs, 343. _Howara_, an Arab clan, take possession of Assouan in Egypt, 74. -------, Arabs, hunting the boar with. They took the city of Assouan in Egypt, about four centuries ago, 245. _Houses_ at Marocco and elsewhere described, 274. _Housa_, travelling there safe, 37. Great traffic on the Nile of Sudan. Niles, how denominated, 39. Description of the country adjacent to, 40. Situation and size of the palace of, and description of the city of, 41. Government of; administration of justice at, 42. Landed property, 43. Revenues of; army, 44. Trade, 45. Climate, zoology, diseases, religion, 48. Persons; dress, 49. Buildings; manners, 50. Gold, 51. Limits of the Empire of; pottery; Timbuctoo tributary to it, 53. Small-pox, inoculation for, 54. _Hutton_, Catherine, her observations on an intercourse with Africa, 264. _Hulacu_, the Tartar, conqueror of the east. His letter to the sultan of Aleppo, 399. _Hypotheses_, various, respecting the Niger, 447.

I.

_Jackson's_ report corroborated, 467. _Idautenan_, independence of, 147. Superior grapes of, 147. The country described, 147. _Idiaugomoron_, 151. _Idaultit_, customs of, 313. _Jedrie_, the African name for the small-pox in horses, mules, asses, and oxen, 337. _Jelabia,_ garment so called, described, 200. _Jerf el suffer_, the yellow cliff, 109. _Jew_, great present made by one for the privilege of wearing the European costume, 297. _Jews_, a distinct race from the Africans, rendered so from their particular laws and customs, &c. 230. ------, funeral cry of, 464. Funeral ceremonies of, 235. ------, massacre of, at Algiers, 283. How estimated in the empire of Marocco, 328. _Jinnie_, manufacture of gold filligrane at, 126. _Impediments_ to our knowledge of Africa. What they are, 266. _Inactivity_, or want of vigilance severely reprehensible in the officers of the Marocco government, 203. _Incorrect_ orthography of African names, 468. _Indigo_ plant, 74. _Interest_ of money, 237. _Intercourse_, commercial, with Africa, recommended to be adopted on a grand national scale, 249. 263. _Interest_ of the Arabs of Sahara; how it would be united with a colony on the coast, 248. _Information_ from Africans respecting Africa, not contemptible, 434. _Insolvency_ laws, 343. 397. _Intoxication_, various modes of, 329. _Invoice_ from Timbuctoo to Santa Cruz, 345. Ditto from ditto to Fas, 347. _Invasion_ of the country by Christians, a tradition of, 225. _Invocation_ for the author's welfare made by the Fakeers of the sanctuary of Muley Dris Zerone, 119. ----------, for the welfare of the British embassy. _Journey_, in disguise, at a critical period, 135. _Journies_, viz. from Mogodor to Rabat; to Mequinas; to the sanctuary of Muley Dris Zerone; and to the ruins of Pharaoh; through the country of Amorites to L'Araich and Tangier, 105. _Irrigation_, wheel for, 13. _Iron_ mines, 331. _Isa_ Seedy ben, fascinators of serpents, 455. _Isawie_ (fascinators of serpents) their performance, 453. _Justice_, moral, 306.

K.

_Kaaba_, Muhamed's mausoleum, so called, 273. _Kadder Khan_, king of Turkostan, a great support to science, 352. _Kaffer_, the application of this term, 510. ------, (or Caffre) its signification, 267. 345. _Kassar Kabeer el_, a beautiful country, 124. _Kereb_, what, 5. _Key_ of Africa is commerce, 428. _Keyma_, its definition, 307. _Khalif Delemys_, noble conduct to the prince Abdsalsm, 288. _Kibla_, i. e. the tomb of Muhamed, 9. _Kiffen_, signification of, 273. _King_ George IV. compared to the late emperor of Marocco, Muley Yezzid, 287. A patron to science and the arts, 429. _Kitiwa ait_, or Kituvites, a tribe of Berebbers, 124. _Koba_, or coba, 88. _Koran_, called the beloved book. Etymology of the word, 318. Incorrectly called the Alcoran, l'Alcoran, or il Alcorano, 351. Written in good language, 353.

L.

_L'aad_ of the Arabs described, 289. _Language_, etiquette of, at the court of Marocco, 315. _Languages_ of Africa, 355. _L'Araich_, forest of. Ferry of, 125. _Laws_ of insolvency, 343. _Lead_ mines, 331. Lead-ore mines, 331. _Leather_ superior manufactory of, at Mequinas and Marocco, 217. Articles used in the manufacture of leather, 218. _Leghorn_, its indirect commerce with Timbuctoo, 255. _Leper's_ town or village near Marocco, 90. Mendicant lepers, 91. _Library_ at Fas, 324. _Lions_, country abounding in. Mode of destroying them. Preservation against, 115. _Liquorice_ root, abundant in Suse, 74. _Locusts_, their incredible devastation described, 221. Mode of collecting them, 222. Used as food; method of preparing them; much esteemed as food, 222. Remarkable instance of these insects having devoured every blade of grass south of the river Elkos, but not north of that river, 223. _Love_, Arabian definition of, 363. _Loyalty_ of the sheiks of Suse, 288. Of Muhamedans, 326. _Ludaia_ are not Ludama, 507. _Lybia_ palus and sea of Sudan synonymous, 448.

M.

_Majesty_, His, George IV. patron of science and the arts, 429. Compared to the late emperor Yezzid, 287. _Mandinga_ language compared with the Arabic, 373. _Manufactures_ of Fas; superior manufacture of gold-thread there, 214. _Marabets_, what, 511. _Marabet_, punishment of one, 524. _Market_ called Soke Elkhummes, 94. _Marocco_, emperor's march to, 73. Country abundant in corn of a superior quality, 78. Reception at salutations of the Moors, 78. Gate called Beb el Lushoir; its situation, 78. Garden of the Nile, an imperial garden, 79. Tafilelt rose flourishes at Marocco; its powerful perfume; otto of roses, 79. Roses; various flowers abundant; Persian wheel in general use throughout the country, 82. Divisions of the empire of, 86. The summer residence of the emperor, 86. The metropolis of the south, 87. Town or village of lepers at, 90. Policy of concealing the appearance of wealth at, 95, Furniture of houses at, 95. Customs at, 95. All trades carried on at, 98. --------, etiquete of the court of, 310, Emperor dispenses with, 311. _Marseilles_, its commerce indirectly with Timbuctoo, 254. _Massacre_ of the Jews at Algiers, 283. _Matamores_, what, 14. 195. _Matra_, J.M., his excellency the British ambassador, treated by the emperor like a prince, 128. --------, his intelligence respecting vaccine pus, 337. _Mauritannick_ writing, what, 351. _Mazagan_, 109. Country of, and inhabitants described, 109. _Mekka_ caravan, i. 4. _Mendicant_ lepers, their exclamation, 91. _Mensoria el_, 110. _Mequinas_, city of the court-town; travelling, mode of; 88. Imperial palace at, 117. Beauty of the ladies of, 118. --------, superior leather and shoes made at, 98. _Merchandize_, consignment of, from Timbuctoo to Fas, 348. ----------, the various, the produce of Sudan, 256. _Messa_, visit to the port of, 145. Gold and silver mines of, 146. _Minister's_ house at Marocco, a noble one, 90. --------, suggestions recommended to their attention, 230. _Mitfere_, or cistern, magnificent, at Mazagan, 109. _Mitferes_, what, 90. Expediency of, 210. --------, described, magazines for grain, 339. Custom observed when opened, 339. _Mogodor_, duties at, doubled, 74. Merchants of, present themselves to the emperor, 87. --------, duties at, reduced to the old standard through the influence of Muley Abd el Melk ben Dris, 128. --------, merchants in danger of being beheaded, 284. _Monopodia_ of the ancients compared to a Moorish table, 281. _Months_, or moons, Muhamedan, their names, 371. _Money_, interest of, 237. _Moors_, 1. ---------, their language and residence, 327. _Moorish grace_ at meals, 96. ----------customs, 281. _Morbeya_, river of, divides the northern from the southern division of the empire, 86. _'Msharrah Rummellah_, plains of, 124. Described, 195. _'Mtasseb_, what, 126. _Muden_, what, 111. _Muhamedan princes_, treaties with, 283. --------------loyalty, 326. --------------, their claims to hospitality, 341. --------------customs, 349. _Mules_, not used in the desert, 5. _Muley_ Abdsalam's domain in the oasis of Ammon, 280. --------Yezzid, the emperor, compared to his Majesty, George IV., 287. ---------Abdrahaman, anecdote of, 322. ---------Ismael, anecdote of, 323. ---------Ismael, emperor of Marocco, his letter to captain Kirke at Tangier, ambassador from Charles II,, dated A.D. 1682. 384. ---------Ismael, his letter to sir Cloudesly Shovel at Salee, 387. Sir Cloudesly's answer, 389. ---------Ismael, emperor of Marocco, his letter to queen Anne, 392. ---------Yezzid, emperor of Marocco, his letter to the Dutch consul, 402. ---------Ismael's, emperor, gold coins at Timbuctoo, 522. ---------Hamed, son of Muley Moluck, an account of his expedition to Timbuctoo, &c. 519. ---------Sidan, loses 3000 Arabic books, 520. Muley El Arsheed, his expedition to Timbuctoo, 521. Muley Hamed Dehebby, commonly called Deiby, his expedition to Timbuctoo, 523. _Mungo Park_ at Timbuctoo, 319. _Murder_, punishment for, 343. _Mushoir_, or place of audience, 89. _Music_, and Arab dance, 141.

N.

_Nasari_, the application of the term, 510. _Nassar_, Abdrahaman Ben, the bashaw of Abda, interview with, 136. _Nations_, the respective costumes of, enjoined, 296. _Negro_ languages, thirty-three different ones spoken, 370. _Negroes_, opinion respecting, 466. Mental degradation of, imputable, in some measure, to the cruel treatment of them in the West India islands, 466. _Neel_, a name applied to two rivers in Africa only, 507. _Nile_, at Kabra, its width, 471. ----, the correct orthography in English is Neel, 79. _Niger_, contemplated result of the discovery of its course and termination, 99. Opinion concerning its course, 103. _Nile el Kabeer_, Nile Assudan, synonymous with Niger, 201. ----, or Nile of Sudan, discharges itself in a lake, 449. ------, and the Nile, 515. Theory respecting, 515. The author's opinion of this river never varied, 516. ------, or Neel el Abeed, discharges itself into the Mediterranean sea at the Delta, in Egypt, 518. _Nile_, this word is improperly spelled, 507. _Niles_, anticipation of the confirmation of their junction, 434. _Nile_ Abid, or Neel el Abeed, error respecting its situation, 435. _Niles_, junction of, where supposed to take place, 444. Not doubted in Africa, but supported by the general testimony of the natives, 445. _Nile_, the word applied only to two rivers in Africa, 447. _Nishki_, manner of writing, 350. Synonymous with the Kufie. _North_ African, or Sudan Company, plan for one, 251. _Nyctalopia_, or night-blindness, 332. ----------, description of, and remedy, 432. Offer to discover the remedy, 432. ----------, an ophthalmia, that affects our seamen in the Mediterranean, 433. Offer to discover the remedy for to government, 433.

O.

_Oasis_, western, 280. _Oil_ of olives, 67. Oil organic, 91. _Olive_ plantations of Ras el Wed, 77. _Ophthalmia_, disorders at Marocco prevail among the Jews, 92. _Opinions_ of the Africans respecting Jews, Christians, and themselves, 315. _Oranges_ of Rabat, superior in quality, and low in price, 114. _Oranges_, 75. Orange-trees, very large, 82. _Ostrich's_ feathers, 67. _Ostriches_ presented by the Emperor Muley Ismael to Queen Anne, 593.

P.

_Palace_, imperial, at Tafileet, magnificent, 80. _Palaces_ described, 274. Architecture of, 274. _Partridges_, mode of hunting among the Arabs, 107. _Park_, Mungo, at Timbuctoo, 319. ----, his arrival at Timbuctoo confirmed, 470. ----, the author's translation of the Shereef Ibrahim's account of that traveller's death, 409. Mr. Abraham Saleme's translation of the same document, 413. _Persian_, or Arabian wheel described, mode of irrigation, 147. _Pharaoh_, ruins of, 80. 121. _Philanthropists_ dig wells for public accommodation, 150. _Physicians_ fly at the approach of the plague, 165. _Piracy_, if the slave-trade were made piracy it would not abolish the traffic, 270. _Plague_, fragments respecting, 156. Progress of, 157. Decrease, 161. The plague political, 164. Emperor's minister attacked by it, writes to the British consul for advice, 165. ----, supposed origin of, 166. The author an eye-witness of it, and visited the infected, 167. Progress of, 167. Remarkable instance of a village in the neighbourhood of Mogador being free from the epidemy thirty-four days after it appeared at Mogador, although the communication was open between the two places, 168. Haha, destruction in, by the plague, 169. Peculiarities of, 169. Destruction of the plague in Suse, 169. General depopulation caused by it, 170. Consequences of, on the survivors, 171. Gradations in society overturned by the plague, 171. Emigrations from Sahara consequent to the plague, 172. Symptoms, various of, 173. Olive oil, external application of, infallible, supposed origin of, 174. Superstitious opinion respecting the plague, 175. Author's precaution against, 177. Fear, its effect in communicating the infection, 178. Remedies used, 178. How caught, 179. Plague cases of, 180. _Plague_, avoided, by adhering to the principle of avoiding personal contact and inhalation, 189. Olive oil, infallible remedy for, 189. ------, 419. Remedy for, 423. _Plough_, primitive, used by the Arabs, 511. _Pomegranates_, 75. _Policy_ of the court of Marocco, 211, 212, 280. ------, adopted by the emperor to secure the allegiance of the Berebbers, 306. ------, of West Barbary, 320. _Poculum amicitiae_, goblet compared to, 232. _Political_ economy of the emperor, in not going to war with Algiers, 283. --------, deception, 309, 314. _Portugal_, sovereign of, his zeal in converting the Africans to the Christian doctrine, 443. _Portuguese_ penetrated far into West Barbary, 324. _Portfolio_, monthly miscellany, observations on, 464. _Precision_, unfavourable to truth, according to Mungo Park's annotator, 446. _Present_ to the emperor, etiquette of delivering it, presentation to, 89. ------, received from the emperor, 98. _Prince_, Muley Teib, conduct of, to Dr. Bell. Satisfied with the doctor's medicines, 197. _Property_, agricultural division of, 330. _Prognosticated_ prosperity from the prayers of benediction of the marabats or fakeers of the sanctuary of Muley Dris Zerone. _Prostration_ practised at the court of Marocco, 281. _Protection_ among the Arabs a sacred duty when claimed, 343. _Punishment_ for murder, 343. _Pyramidical_ basis on which is founded the intelligence in Jackson's Account of Marocco, &c., 451.

Q.

_Quarterly_ journal, of literature, science, and the arts, error of, 435, 438. _Queen_ Elizabeth, embassy to the emperor of Marocco, 494.

R.

_Rabat_, arrival at, 110. Town described. Aqueduct. Mausoleum of the Sultan Muhamed at, described. Battery of, bomb-proof. Bastions. Roman spring at. Old Roman town of Sheila at, described. Old Roman coins, 111. Mosques, tower of Hassan, similar to one at Timbuctoo, &c. described, 112. _Rabat_ and Salee, abundant countries, 113. _Religions_, of all kinds, tolerated at Timbuctoo. _Repast_, or dinner, sent by the prince Muley Teib, 192. _Retaliation_ for murder, an incumbent duty on tha individuals of a family, 295. _Revenge_ of the Shelluhs, described, 152. --------, of the Shelluhs for murder rigidly pursued, 291. _Richardson_, incorrect in calling the Arabic guttural letter, _grain_, ghain, 492. _Richardson's_ Arabic grammar, some errors in, 351. _Riches_ of the Arabs, in what it consists, 247. _Rivers_, in sandy districts, change their courses, 440. _Robbery_, singular mode of, 116. _Rontgen_, African traveller, death of, 425.

S.

_Santa Cruz_, the port of, delivered to the Dutch, 403. --------, See _Agadeer_. -------, or Agadeer, the key to Sudan, 268. -------, invoice from Timbuctoo to, 345. ------- opened to Dutch commerce by the author, 436. _Sanctuary_ of Muley Dris Zerone, 80. _Saffy_, its road for shipping described, 108. Situation and description of, 108. _Sahara_, north part described, no water, 4. South part described, 7. Water carried in goat-skins, 5. Sheiks of, independent, --------, Arabs of, prefer sleeping in the open air, 155. _Salee_, dungeon of, for Christian captives, 114. ------, and Rabat, the adjacent country productive, 113. _Salutations_, peculiar character of their, 235. _Saneet Urtemma_, a dangerous country, 110. _Sand_ baths, 279. _Science_ and the arts, decay of, among the Arabs, 352. _Sebu_, river, situation of, 438.

_Sejin Messa_, etymology of the name, vulgarly called Segilmessa, 145. _Senegambia_, 70. _Serpents_, charmers of, described, 430. --------, domestic, of Marocco, 213. _Servants_ of the emperor, policy of, 280.

_Shegar_, signification of, and misinterpretation, 441. _Sheh_, the Arabic name for worm-seed, 5. ------, the plant designated, 510. _Shella_, an old Roman town, 112. _Shelluh_, revenge of, described, 152. ------, repast, described. Patriarchal cakes of, 153. Customs of, 154. 313. ------, language, specimen of, 366. _Shelluhs_, revenge and retaliation, 291. ------, their territory described, 327. _Sheshawa_, plains of, 82. Mountains of, strata of oyster-shells at the top of, 82. River of, 82. _Shume el_, the hot wind of Sahara so denominated, 5. _Shoemaker_, an honourable trade, 98. _Shovel_, Sir Cloudesley, his letter to the emperor of Marocco. _Sigen Messa_, face of that country, 81. _Silver_ mines of Elala, 218. ------, mine, 331. _Siwah_, language of, similar to the Shelluh, 370. _Slavery_, state of, in Africa, 219. Cannot be abolished but by commerce, 269. _Slaves_, mode of selling them, 95. _Slave_ trade, not to be abolished by any naval force however formidable, 269. _South_ Africa, policy of constructing mitferes there, 339. How that colony might be improved in the value of its produce, 340. ----------, colony of, policy and expediency of building mitferes there, 339. How to improve that colony, 340. _Storks_, abundance of, at Azamore, 110. _Style_ used in addressing the emperor, 383. _Subterraneous_ hordes, propensity to, 238. _Sudan_, gum of, 67. ------, trade with, 277. ------, company, plan for one, 251. ------, command of the commerce of, how to be obtained, 67. ------, produce of, 67. _Sugar_, figurative of friendship, 234. _Sulphur_ mines, 331. _Sultan_ Muhamed's letter to the European consuls, 394. To the governor of Mogodor, 405. --------, Soliman's letter to his majesty George III., 395. _Superstitious_ tradition, 460. _Suse_, province of, inaccessible to an invading army from the north, 76. _Synonymous_ words in sound, 362.

T.

_Tabia_ walls, what, 2. Mode of building them. _Tafilelt_, 1. A rendezvous for caravans; kassars of; hire of camels from Fas to; a country of princes, 2. Market at, 2. Palace, imperial, magnificent at, 80. Dates abundant at, 80. Magnificent plantations and extensive forests of, 81. Faith and honour of the natives proverbial; robberies unknown there, 81. _Talleyrand_, his favourite African scheme, 229. _Talh-tree_ defined, 510. _Tangier_ garrison, salute to the British ambassador on his entry there, 127. _Tas_, what it is, 231. _Tatta_, a depot for camels, 248. _Tendaraman_, venomous spider described, 429. _Tensift_, river of, 108. _Tildie_, repast, Arab, at; Portuguese tower at, 63. Cookery of the Arabs at, 64. _Timbuctoo_, situation of, and charge of travelling to, 7. City of; river close to it, 8. Population of; extent of; caravanseras of; slaves at, 10. Houses; government, 11. Revenue of, 12. Moors pay no duty at, but negroes do, 14. Subject to Housa, 14. Army of; subsidies; administration of justice at; punishments, 15. Good police of, 16. Insolvent debtors at; slaves entitled to freedom at; property, succession to and distribution of; rational treatment of slaves at; wills not written, 18. Laws of inheritance; marriage; rape; adultery, 19. Trade and articles sold at, 20. Manufactures, 23. Measures, 23. Husbandry, 24. Sowing season; provisions, 25. Animals; birds, 26. Fish; prices of various articles, 27. Costume, 28. Diversions, 31. Time, measurement of; Religion, 32. Diseases, 33. Manners and customs, 34. Neighbouring nations, 35. --------, opportunity of opening a trade with, why declined, 145. --------, how likely to be made tributary to Great Britain, 249. Circuitous commerce of, explained, 256. Direct and eligible route to, through Sahara from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, 257. --------, value of merchandize at, 260. Immense profit actually made in, 261. Immense quantities of gold to be procured from Sudan, 261. Goods entering the city at the gate of the desert pay no duty, 263. Timbuctoo coffee, 279. Invoice from, 345. 347. Letter from, 346. 348.

_Timbuctoo_, Mungo Park at, 319. ----------, warehouses of, contain the manufactures, of India and Europe, 427. Communication with, plan for opening, 428. ----------, intelligence respecting, whence derived, 436. ----------, cotton manufacture, made in the city of, interwoven with silk, of a chequered pattern, deposited in the British Museum, 437. Situation of, in respect to the Neel el abeed, 439. Under the sovereignty of a negro prince, 441. Fish at, resembling salmon, 469. --------, first expedition to and conquest of, 519. --------, second expedition to, 521. --------, third expedition to, 523. _Titles_ of emperor, 382. _Togreda_, ceremony of, how performed, 231. _Tomie_, or Sebah Biure, port of; the author visits it by the prince's request, 138. Arab dance and festivity in the neighbourhood of, 141. Music of, 140. _Trade_ with Sudan, 277. _Travellers_, solitary or scientific, little expectations from, 258. _Travelling_ in Barbary, 293. _Treaties_ with Muhamedan princes, 283. _Troglodyte_, 319.

U.

_Uffran_, a depot for camels, 248. _Uly_ and Ualy, material difference between these two terms, 350. _Unity_ among Christians a necessary prelude to the conversion of Africa. The several sects of Christians should unite, instead of being divided, as an expedient measure necessary to precede the conversion of Africa, 129. _Union_ of waters between Timbuctoo and Cairo, 447.

V.

_Vaccination_, intelligence transmitted from West Barbary instrumental in the propagation of, 337. 23,134 lives saved by vaccination, 338. _Vasco de Gama's_ observations on intercourse with Africa, 258. _Vincent_, Lord St. his message to the Emperor of Marocco, 459. _Vines_, the grapes of which are of an extraordinary size, 74.

W.

_Water_ communication between Timbuctoo and Cairo, 443. This opinion is confirmed by Mr. Hornmann, 444. ------, communication between Cairo and Timbuctoo, the opinion respecting, receives additional confirmation, 517. ------, melons at Salee and Rabat peculiarly sweet, 114. ------, carried through the Sahara in goat's skins. _Wah el_, what, 6. _Wahs_ of Sahara, how supplied with fish, 257. Western oasis, 280. _Wangara_, jewel from, 103. _Wassenah_, or Massenah, conjecture why not known at Ashantee, 491. _Wed el fees_, river of, 82. _Whedinoon_, a depot for camels. _Wheat_, superior at Marocco, 95. ------, a superior kind or quality, 125. _Wild_ myrtle grows in the Sahara, 6. _Wine_ Company recommended, 212. _Woled Aisah_, encampment of Arabs. Produce of that country, 109. _Wool_, exportation of, granted by the emperor. _Woladia el_, an eligible place for a naval depot, 108. _Woolja_, not Woolga, 109. _Woled Abbusebah_, a whole clan of Arabs, banished from the plains near Marocco, and plundered, killed or dispersed, 318. _Woolo_, king of Timbuctoo, 484. _Wormseed_, 74. _Wrecked ships_, 277. How treated, 278. Wrecked sailors, 279. _Wyk_, Sir Pieter, Swedish consul, his courier sent to the author, 127.

Y.

_Yezzid Muley_, gives the port of Santa Cruz to the Dutch, 436. ----------, emperor of Marocco, compared to his majesty George the Fourth, 287. His letter to the Dutch consul, 402. His letter to the governor of Mogador, giving to the Dutch the port of Santa Cruz, 402.

Z.

_Zealand_, New, customs of, compared to those of the Jews, 236. _Zeal_ of Mohamedans not sufficient to convert the negro nations of Africa, 442. _Zeef_, what it is, 231. _Zemurh ait's_, or Zemurhites, a kabyl of Berebbers, 115. _Zion ait's_, or Zianites, a tribe, or kabyl of Berebbers, 124. _Ziltanait_, or Ziltanites, a tribe of Berebbers, 124. _Zimurh_ shelluh, Berebbers of, their character, 284.

THE END.

Printed by A. and K. Spottiswoode, Printers-Street, London.

_Works by the same Author_.

An account of the EMPIRE OF MAROCCO and the DISTRICTS OF SUSE AND TAFILELT, compiled from Miscellaneous Observations made during a long residence in, and various Journies through, these Countries.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

An Account of SHIPWRECKS ON THE WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA, and an Account of Timbuctoo, the great Emporium of Central Africa; illustrated with ACCURATE MAPS and a variety of highly finished PLATES. Third edition. _Considerably enlarged with new and interesting matter_.

Sold by Cadell and Davies, London; and by W. Blackwood, Edinburgh.

* * * * *

_Preparing for the press_.

A GRAMMAR of the ARABIC LANGUAGE.

No accurate Grammar of the Arabic Language has ever yet issued from the British Press!--It is extraordinary that the many professors of _that bold and figurative language of the East_, have never yet favoured the public with such a desirable work.--An attempt will now be made, by the above author, to supply in England this deficiency in Oriental Literature.