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 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 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:[ (return) ] They are called Ite-amor, Amorite.
Footnote 277:[ (return) ] 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.