CHAPTER III.
Improvements in the general Geography of North Africa.—Remote Sources of the Nile, and Termination of the Niger.—Lake of Fittré, or Kauga.
This division of the present subject respects the improvements of the general geography of the eastern quarter of North Africa. Since the construction of the General Map, in 1798,[45] much new matter has appeared in the Travels of Mr. Browne: and to these are now to be added, the observations and inquiries of Mr. Horneman. These important notices will be found mutually to explain and confirm each other, as far as they go, over the same ground; and which is to a very considerable extent.
Mr. Browne has the advantage in point of materials proper for mathematical geography; whilst Mr. Horneman’s range of inquiry, though equally extended, consists more of general notices, in the nature of sketches. Both possess very great merit; both appear indefatigable in collecting the most useful matter that either presented itself, or could be procured: and how much soever a person at his ease, and in a state of perfect security, may blame the want of a clear and connected series of notices, respecting the geography and present state of the countries treated of; yet it should be considered, under what disadvantages, and at what hazard, a European traveller in the interior of Africa, collects his information: and which, the histories of these gentlemen’s proceedings, now before the Public, as well as those of their old acquaintance Mr. Park, abundantly shew.
Mr. Browne’s materials consist of a line of 16 degrees of latitude, from Cairo to the capital of Darfoor; corrected by observations of latitude and longitude: together with an extension of this line southward, six degrees farther, by enquiries amongst the natives, and other travellers, on the spot. His inquiries reached to about the parallel of 8 degrees north; in which position there were pointed out to him, the heads of the Bahr Abiad, or White River, taken for the most remote, and long sought for, head of the Egyptian Nile. And besides this line, his inquiries were pointed eastward and south-east, to the borders of Abyssinia; westward and south-west, to Bornu; also to other countries, not before heard of in Europe; the whole forming an extent of more than 15 degrees of longitude.
The line from Cairo to the head of the White River, is in length upwards of 1360 G. miles: or more than 1440, from the mouth of the Nile; taken in direct distance. In its bearing, it varies so little from the meridian, that the head of the river bears only about a point and a half to the west of south, from the place of its discharge into the Mediterranean.
This route departing from the Nile at Siout, first passes through, and fixes the position of the Greater Oasis; then successively, through the positions of Sheb, Selimé, Leghea, and Bir-el-Malha, in the way to Darfoor.
From the known caution and accuracy of Mr. Browne, this line becomes an important acquisition: and in respect of the place of the head of the White River, his information is corroborated generally, by that collected by Ledyard and Maillet, at Cairo. In other parts of his geography, he is corroborated by the recent information of Mr. Horneman; by the notices in Edrisi; by Maillet; and even by Bruce himself.
It is unnecessary to enter into any details, respecting this geography, which is already before the public, in his excellent book of Travels, which furnishes an important part of the subject now before the reader; particularly what respects the head of the White River, (that is, the Nile;) and, by implication, what concerns the termination of the Niger also.
In the selection of materials from the map made by Mr. Browne, from his own observations and inquiries, I have scrupulously adhered to the map itself, (except in the single instance of the position of the capital of Bornou;) on a supposition that he had well compared and weighed the authorities for the different reports of bearings and distances; and thence formed a better result than could be done by any other person. But I have added from his Appendix, some intermediate routes, and positions, which he judged proper to omit in his map.
He informs us, that he determined by inquiries, that proved satisfactory, the distance of the Nile from Selimé; whence it appears, that although the position of the great cataract, as well as those of Moscho, and of Dongola, taken on the authority of Mr. Bruce, ought to come somewhat more to the south or south-west; yet that, in a general point of view, the agreement is closer than could have been expected. The same may be said of Sennaar, in respect of Darfoor; Mr. Browne being satisfied, that the interval of distance between them, agreed to the observations; the one being determined by Mr. Bruce, the other by himself. Mr. D’Anville had placed Sennaar nearly four degrees of longitude too far to the west, in his map of Africa, 1749.[46]
It may be observed, that between Egypt and Darfoor, no waters whatsoever communicate with the Nile, from the west: and that Mr. Browne was assured, that the same state of things existed to the south, between Darfoor and the head of the White River. So far indeed, from any water running to the east in that quarter, he was told (and the fact is corroborated in part by others,) that the waters to the west and south-west of Darfoor, all ran to the west or north-west.
Mr. Browne relates, from the information of the people at Darfoor, that the head of the White River consists of a number of streams, issuing from certain lofty mountains named Kumri, or Komri, situated in a country named Donga, distant a month’s journey from Shilluk; which is itself 3¼ days short of Sennaar: so that the remotest spring of the White River may be 45 journies from Sennaar. Now, some of the slaves brought in the Darfoorian caravan to Cairo, told Mr. Ledyard that they came from a place 55 journies westward from Sennaar; and Mr. Browne informs us, that the people of Bergoo (adjacent to Darfoor) make a practice of going a slave hunting into the quarter of Donga. (Travels, p. 473.) Another person amongst those questioned by Mr. Ledyard (implied to come from the same place,) said, that the head of the Nile was situated in his country.[47] If it be supposed that, in stating the distance of Sennaar from the head of the Nile, they meant that the road lay through Darfoor, (which is not improbable) the distance of 55 days would be fully made up. It is reckoned 23 days from Darfoor to Sennaar, and somewhat more from Darfoor to the copper mines of Fertit; which are yet very far short of the head of the White River.
In the map of Africa, 1798, I had placed the head of the White River, about 130 miles to the SE of the place now assigned by Mr. Browne.
Mr. Horneman having again set afloat the idea of the junction of the Niger with the Nile, it becomes necessary to examine, minutely, the geographical materials furnished by Mr. Browne and Mr. Horneman, as well as the notices found in Edrisi; in order to shew the improbability of such a fact. Mr. Horneman was informed by persons who had travelled to Darfoor, that the Niger (Joliba) passed by the south of Darfoor, into the White River. It is certain that Herodotus[48] collected much the same kind of information in Egypt: but it is equally certain that the people whom Mr. Browne consulted at Darfoor, were silent, respecting any such junction: on the contrary, they report, not only that the White River is formed of sources, springing from the mountains on the south, but also that the waters between Darfoor and those mountains, run to the westward. It is proper to add, that the mountains in question, named Kumri, or Komri, are, as the name imports, the Mountains of the Moon; in which Ptolemy, and the Arabian geographers, place the remote head of the Nile.[49]
In chapter vi. of the Geographical Illustrations, 1798, I have set forth several facts, with a view to shew the probability of the termination of the Niger, by evaporation, in the country of Wangara, &c. To that, I shall beg leave to refer: but as many additional facts, tending to strengthen my former ideas, have been furnished by recent travellers, I shall have occasion to repeat some of the former statements and arguments, in the course of the discussion.
Towards the west and SW, to the extent of several hundred miles from the capital of Darfoor, Mr. Browne learnt, that the country was intersected by a number of streams, whose courses pointed to the west and north-west. He appears to speak, however, with less confidence of the courses of all the other waters, save the Misselâd, and the small river Batta, its adjunct. These, he unequivocally conducts from SE to NW. (See pages 449—464, and his map at page 180). But of the others, he merely says, “the course of the rivers, if rightly given, is, for the most part, from E to W.” But he also says, p. 449, “the country they flow through, is said to be, great part of the year, wet and marshy; the heat is excessive, and the people remark that there is no winter.” The principal, as well as the most remote of these rivers, is the Bahr Kulla, denominated from a country of the same name, described (p. 308), to abound with water; and this Bahr Kulla is considerable enough to require boats to cross it, of which some are made of single trees, large enough to hold ten persons.[50]
It would seem, therefore, (if Mr. Browne was correctly informed, and I can see no reason to doubt, because he speaks with caution), as if these rivers descended from the high country on the south of Darfoor, into a comparatively low, and hollow tract to the west, in which also two large lakes are marked in Mr. Browne’s map: and this tract falls, in our geography, nearly midway between the head of the White River, and the country of Wangara, placed according to the notices found in Edrisi; and which are corroborated, generally, by Mr. Horneman, who was told that Wangara lay to the westward of the empire of Bornu.[51] Through this country of Wangara, the great river of interior Africa (our Niger) runs, and beyond Wangara, eastward, we are unable to trace it. (It may be necessary to remark here, that Edrisi conceived that the Niger ran to the west, from a source, common to that, and to the Egyptian Nile.)
In fact, one ought not to be surprised to find, considering how very loosely and inaccurately such kind of information must necessarily be given, at so great a distance from the seat of inquiry, (that is, many hundred miles from Mr. Browne’s station in Darfoor), if the lakes and rivers in question should turn out to be those of Wangara itself! It may be observed, that the distances from the capital of Darfoor agree nearly as well to the lakes of Wangara, as to those of Hermad and Dwi; and the bearing does not differ two points of the compass.[52] There is nothing to check the bearings from Darfoor, on that side; and it would not be at all extraordinary, if two descriptions, such as those of Edrisi, and of the people of Darfoor, should be even more at variance, than the difference between the positions of the two sets of lakes and rivers, on the map.
But how ambiguous soever the subject of the western streams, between the head of the White River and Wangara, may be, the waters that flow from the southern and western borders of Darfoor, are clearly known to run to the north-west, and to form a large lake; proving a hollow space to exist, in the quarter, north-west of Darfoor; and little more than 160 miles eastward of Wangara.[53] Whether this hollow be a continuation of that which receives the waters of the Niger, and forms a part of them into lakes, in Wangara, remains to be discovered. It is, however, in proof, that Edrisi believed the fact, by his describing a water communication the whole way. I now proceed to describe the course of these waters, that flow from the quarter of Darfoor, towards the north-west.
Mr. Browne was informed, (page 449,) that on the south of Darfoor, and between that country and the source of the White River, the waters formed a considerable river, named Misselâd. This he traces on his map at page 180, and in the routes given in his Appendix, p. 449, 464, 468, towards the NNW and NW, to a point above the parallel of 15 degrees north (i. e. through near 400 G. miles of course); but he is silent, otherwise than by implication, respecting its future course. But of a second river (the Batta) whose course lies between the Misselâd and Darfoor, and very near to the former, he says, that it flows from the south, and then, deviating to the west, it falls into the Bahr-el-Fittré. (P. 464). It remains to be added, that, following the western road from Wara to Bagherme (in his Appendix, p. 464, 465), we come to the Bahr Fittré itself: but without any notices respecting the crossing of the Misselâd river, by the way. This matter, however, will be made clearer, presently, by the aid of Horneman and Edrisi.
Mr. Browne continues to say, (p. 465,) that “the people on the banks of the Bahr Fittré use little boats, for the purpose of passing from one place to another, on the river.” The word Bahr indicating equally a lake or a river, is here understood for the latter, by Mr. Browne; but we learn from Mr. Horneman, that the dominions of the sultan of Fiddri, (as he writes it,) are situated round a large fresh-water lake, which bears the same name: and that, into this lake flows a river which comes from Darfoor; and whose banks are very rich in sugar-canes. (See above, [p. 115.])
This account of the lake is strengthened by several circumstances. Horneman says, that the district of Fiddri, although so named by its own inhabitants, is called Cougu, or Cugu, by the people who dwell eastward; (the Arabs;) Luffe, by those on the west. Now, Couga, or Kauga, is noted by Edrisi, as a country and city near a large lake of fresh water, situated at 30 journies westward, or south-westward, from Dongola; 36 eastward from Gana: and here we have the very position. Moreover, Mr. Browne describes, in the before-mentioned western route, at 3½ journies short of the Bahr Fittré, Dar Cooka,[54] doubtless the country of Couga or Cugu in question.
The circumstance of boats plying on the Bahr Fittré (Browne’s Travels, p. 465,) also accords with the idea of a lake. Nor can there be a doubt that the Misselâd of Browne, is the river from the quarter of Darfoor, intended by Horneman: and that it, as well as the river of Batta, falls into the lake of Fittré.[55]
It may be remarked, that what Edrisi describes as the upper part of the course of the Niger, (Nilus Nigrorum) is evidently intended for this river: but he describes it as originating from the same source as the Egyptian Nile, and flowing westward. There also appears in Ptolemy, the same river springing from about the 10th degree of north latitude; as the Misselâd does.
It appears certain then, that the ground declines, from the quarter of Darfoor, towards the interior of Africa, to the north-west and west: and the descriptions of Edrisi, (page 13,) go equally to prove that the ground also declines from the NE to SW, towards the lake of Fittré; because he describes the river of Kuku to run southward.[56]
The same must be understood of the river of the Antelopes, or Wad-el-Gazel, which is marked by Mr. Browne, (p. 465,) at two journies to the NW of the lake Fittré; and by Mr. Beaufoy at the distance of one journey from the capital of Bournu. Mr. Horneman indeed was told, that the Wad-el-Gazel was not a river, but a fruitful and well inhabited valley. It is probably both: that is, a fertile valley, with a river running through it. Hence we must suppose the Wad-el-Gazel to be another river that falls into the lake Fittré, from the north; and consequently, the lake itself, to be the receptacle of the eastern waters of the interior of North Africa.
Edrisi places Semegonda at ten journies to the westward or SW of Kauga, (our Fittré,) and within the country of Wangara, which is entirely surrounded by the branches of the Niger, and periodically inundated by its waters: and it is clear that he believed, that there was a water communication between Wangara and Kauga; because he says, (p. 7.) that salt was conveyed all along the Niger, eastward to that point. It may be remarked, that Horneman says, that the people of Fittré (Kauga) have no salt, but what they obtain from vegetable substances.[57]
If there be, as Edrisi says, (page 7,) a water communication between Kauga and Wangara, (no matter which way the water runs), the fact of a common level, would, of course, be proved; and then it must be admitted to be highly improbable, that any part of the course of the White River, southward of Darfoor, should be on a lower level, than the lake of Fittré. But, perhaps, some may doubt the authority of Edrisi, in this point; and possibly, the more so, since he says, that the Niger runs to the west.
But placing this circumstance out of the question, and leaving the facts set forth by Mr. Browne and Mr. Horneman, to speak for themselves, it may be asked,
1. Whether it is probable that the Niger, after running about 2250 British miles in direct distance from its source, should not have arrived at a lower level, than that of the countries adjacent to the heads of the Nile?[58]
2. Whether the course of the Misselâd river, from the south of Darfoor, is not almost directly contrary to that which the Niger should take from Wangara, in order to join the White River?
3. Whether the course of the waters, to the west of Darfoor, and of the head of the White River, are not also reported to run towards the quarter that contains the Niger, instead of coming from it? and are they not said to run through a wet marshy country; whilst that to the east, in the line between Fittré and the White River, is high and mountainous?[59]
4. Has not the country of Wangara, &c. like that of Fittré, the character of an alluvial tract, inundated by the periodical floods of the Niger, to the extent of more than 350 British miles in length, by more than 170 in breadth: and has not both that and Gana, large fresh water lakes in the dry season?[60] May not so great an extent of surface, suffice for the evaporation of the waters of the Niger; as we have already an instance of the kind in Persia, in which the Heermend, a river of more than 400 miles length of course, is evaporated in less than ¹⁄₂₀ part of the surface of the inundation formed in Wangara?[61] I now return to the general geography.
Mr. Horneman, in describing the position of the southern states, speaks of Wadey, bordering on the west of Darfoor; then Metko, west, (or rather NW) of Wadey; both of which are watered by the river which flows from Darfoor to the lake Fittré, (i. e. the Misselâd); and, finally, Fittré itself, to the NW of Metko. Continuing the description—Begarmé[62] is said to lie N of Wadey; Bournu, N of Fittré. Bergoo seems not to have been known to Horneman; or, perhaps, he may have confounded it with the Burgu towards Augila (the Berdoa of Delisle and D’Anville). Bergoo, according to Mr. Browne, is an independent country: Metko and Wadey, the same: so that the empire of Bournu ends with Fittré (or Cooka) Margi, and Wangara, southward.[63]
Of these countries, Mr. Browne had not heard of Wangara, under that name;[64] nor of Wadey, or Metko; although he describes the tract which contains them, in his map. Nor does Dar Cooka appear to have been known to him, as the Kauga of Edrisi, or as the Fittré of Horneman.
At the capital of Bournu, the interesting inquiries of Mr. Browne end, northward: but as those of Mr. Horneman extend to the borders of Darfoor, they of course overlap each other; so as to give much greater authority to the report of the course of the waters from Darfoor to the lake Fittré.
With respect to the line of distance, between Fezzan and Darfoor; Darfoor and Sennaar; these are the details: (that from Gana to Dongola, has been already given, page 188.)
Mr. Beaufoy allows between Temissa (in Fezzan) and the capital of Bournu, 43 days of caravan travelling, in a south-easterly direction. Mr. Browne places the same capital, deduced from inquiries made at Darfoor, in lat. 19° 45′, lon. 21° 33′; so as to leave an interval of distance equal to 562 G. miles, between Temissa and Bournu; giving a rate of only 13 miles and a small fraction, per day. This rate falls far short of caravan travelling; and it is possible that the halting days may have been included in the aggregate number 43; as is often done, when the inquiries are not sufficiently pointed. In the Proceed. Afr. Assoc. 1798, it is stated, that Bornou falls at 534 G. miles from Dongola on the Nile; and Mr. Browne’s result gives about 600. It should, however, be noted, that Mr. Browne’s Tables (page 467), give a bearing of N ¼ W between Begarmé and Bournu, which I have followed in preference to his map, where it is N 13 W; and thus place Bournu at 562 from Dongola. A mean between the position in the former map, and that given by Mr. Browne, would be 567. But through the want of a cross line of distance, that can be depended on, the position of this important point in geography, remains in uncertainty. Mr. Horneman was told that Bournu was 15 days journey from Kashna: and at 25, in a W by S direction, short of Fittré. This is, no doubt, meant of the boundary of the empire of Bournu, towards Kashna, and not of the capital; and this report appears very probable, as the Bournuan dominions are said to terminate on that side, with the country of Wangara.