SECTION VI.

The river that was seen by Mr. Park on his journey to Tombuctoo, flows southward from Haussa. It waters Nyffé and Cabi, where it is called Julbi; and runs eastward into the district of Burnu, where it takes the name of Zad, which means the great water; in some parts of Haussa, it is called Gaora, or the great water.

All the Burnuans and Haussans whom I questioned about the distant regions of this river, agreed in telling me, “that it ran through the land of Majies, (i. e. Heathens;) by Sennaar: others affirmed that it passes Darfoor, in its course eastward, and flows to Cairo, being one stream with the Egyptian Nile.”

A native of Egypt from Osuit, who had travelled several times to Darfoor, and southward from that place to collect slaves, and lately returned through Wadey, Fiddri, and Begarmé, to Fezzan, informed me, that the river called Bah-el-Abiad, is this river. I could get no intelligence about a great inland lake, although I made every possible inquiry.

Besides these two great rivers here described, there are seven small streams in Haussa, which fall into the Julbi near Berva. Northward from Burnu, there is a river which disappears among the mountains, and is said to rush into the earth. All these rivers are very low in the dry season, and swell amazingly during the rainy season. The breadth of the Zad was given me for one mile, (others said two); but in the rainy season, the breadth is said to be a day’s journey, (i. e. eight hours). The Budumas always keep themselves in the middle of this stream; they are a very savage, heathenish nation.

These few informations are the best that I have been able to collect, on the interior of Africa. In this relation, I pass over men with tails, without necks, and without hair, without land, and living only on the great sea. It would be an easy matter for me to write you many letters on the interior state of Africa; but I might thereby convey information inaccurate or untrue. Besides, am I not returning to England? and if I do return, should I not reserve something new and interesting to plead my excuse for returning?

If I do not perish in my undertaking, I hope in five years, I shall be able to make the Society better acquainted with the people, of whom I have given this short description.

(Signed)FREDERICK HORNEMAN.

1798.

Extracts from a Letter accompanying the above Informations, dated Tripoly, 19th of August, 1799.

“After a journey of eleven days from Siwah, four of which we travelled eighteen hours each day, through a desert, we arrived at Augila, a small miserable town belonging to Tripoly; and after a journey of sixteen days more, we reached Temissa, the first village of Fezzan. Seven of these sixteen days, I was passing a black rocky desert, certainly the worst of all routes in the world; and which has doubtless been formed by some volcanic revolution. It is called Harutsch, and extend very far to the south-west.

“From Temissa, I came by way of Zuila, Tuila, and Tragan, to Mourzouk, (which is also called Fezzan, and by the people of Burnu, Zela). Mourzouk is situated in 25° 54′ 15″ north latitude.

“With regard to the interior of Africa, I have made all the inquiries possible, and will send you the result of them by the first opportunities. Accept for the present the following notices on that subject.

“The river you call Niger—in Soudan, Gulbi, or Gaora; in Burnu, Zad; is a very large river, into which fall more than twelve other rivers. It comes from Tombuctoo, as I am told, runs to the south of Haussa (or Soudan), in the empire of Burnu; here it takes a more southern direction, and falls (at least I could not find a single man who said to the contrary), south of Darfoor into the Nile. There is another river coming from Darfoor, which passes by Wadey and Metko, and terminates in a large lake called Fiddri, in a kingdom called by the inhabitants Fiddri; by the people to the east of them, Cougu; and by those on the west, Lussi. The lake of Fiddri is four days in circumference, but in the time of the rains much more extensive, inundating the surrounding country, which, after the waters are withdrawn, is sown and cultivated.

“Near to Mesna, the capital of Bergamé, is another large river; but it is considerable only in the rainy season. Bahr of Gazelles, or Wad-el-Gazelles, is not a river, but a long and fertile valley, inhabited by Nomadian Tibbo, whose houses are made of skins.

“Burnu is the most powerful kingdom in the interior of Africa. The next to it is the sultan of Asben, who resides at Agades. The kings of the countries of which Haussa consists, all pay tribute to Burnu; these are Kashna, Daura, Keeno, Sofau, Noro, Nyffé, Gaauri, Cabi, Guber, (Zanfara belongs to Guber.) Kashna pays every year 100 slaves, &c. Some of them pay to Burnu and Asben. The king of Asben with the greatest part of his nation are Tuaricks of the tribe Kolluvi. Many of the Tuaricks near to Tombuctoo, are white; and another tribe near to Burnu, are also white, like the Arabs of the northern coast of Africa.

“Begarmé pays tribute to Burnu; Ungura, (doubtless Wangara, Leo. Afr.) and Cougu, are governed by officers of that sultan.

“There is a general opinion of all Burnu and Fezzan people, that Burnu and Fezzan, according to our manner of speaking, lie under the same meridian. Burnu is distant from Kashna 15 days, by travelling very slow 20 fisturnees, or about 330 English miles. Fiddri from Burnu E by N 25 days. The people of Fiddri have no salt in their country, but what they prepare from straw ashes.

“A great part of the people of Wadey, together with their king, are Arabs.

“In the direction of south by west from Augila, distant ten days, or about 200 miles, are the Febabo, and some days more to the south the Birgu, nations of the Tibbo, whose country is very fine and fertile: they are said to be Pagans. It is singular, that the people of Augila, in speaking of these tribes, make much the same comparison which Herodotus (Melpom. c. 183.) does, when speaking of the Ethiopian Troglodytæ, hunted by the Garamantes, ‘that their language is like the whistling of birds.’

“The most interesting nation of Africa, is the Tuarick. (Leo Afr. calls them Terga, طرجي.) They are in possession of all the country between Fezzan, Gadames, the empire of Morocco, Tombuctoo, Soudan, Burnu, and the country of the Tibbo. They are divided into several nations, of which the Kolluvi in Asben, and the Hagara near to Fezzan, are the chief.

“Christians and tailed men, I suppose, never will be found in the interior of Africa. The Mahometans call Nazari (which is properly the name for Christians) not the Christians only, but also every other people who are not of their religion. Of tailed men I heard no accounts, except from one person, (but not a testis fide dignissimus,) who placed them ten days south of Kano; he called them Yem Yem, and said that they were cannibals. In ten months I shall be near to that direction.

“I shall now, Sir, conclude this letter, which I hope will find you in good health. I am, &c. &c.

“FREDERICK HORNEMAN.”

FOOTNOTES:

[13]I have given further particulars on this subject in the account of my journey, from Cairo to Fezzan.

GEOGRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATIONS
OF
MR. HORNEMAN’S ROUTE;
AND
ADDITIONS TO THE GENERAL GEOGRAPHY
OF AFRICA.
BY
MAJOR RENNELL.

CONSTRUCTION
OF THE
GEOGRAPHY OF MR. HORNEMAN’S EXPEDITION
IN AFRICA.