M. Delisle states the distance at about 405, or 10 more than the above result. He probably collected it from the Journals of modern travellers, as the Arabian geographers allow no less than twenty of their journies between Augila and Zuila, which place is about 60 G. miles short of Mourzouk.
I shall here set forth the reports of divers persons, respecting the distance between Cairo and Fezzan; which has been taken above, chiefly on the report of Mr. Horneman: and, when reduced to a straight line comes out 829 G. miles.
Messrs. Browne and Ledyard state the distance to be fifty caravan days; which at 16½, give 825 G. miles.
Edrisi allows forty journies, between Cairo and Tamest (Temissa). These, at 19 each, are equal to 760 G. miles: to which, if 73 are added, as Horneman allows, from Temissa to Mourzouk, the total is 833. This route leads through Bahnasa, in the Lesser Oasis; and, by circumstances, near Siwah also; as a river occurs at eight days from Bahnasa. Thence it goes to the south of Augila, and by Seluban, which may be intended for the Plain of Sultin.[20]
It is obvious, that if Augila should lie yet more to the south, or nearer in a line between Cairo and Fezzan, this would lengthen the given line of distance; and that by 10 or 12 miles.
The comparison of the different authorities, then, is as follows:
| By Horneman, | 829 | ⎱ ⎰ | mean 827 |
| By Browne and Ledyard, | 825 | ||
| By Edrisi, (direct) | 833 | ||
| By Edrisi and Abulfeda, reckoned fromSiwah only, and thence through Augila and Zala | 877 | ||
| By the bearing and distance from Mesurata | 854[21] |
Thus Horneman’s account falls short of the interval between Cairo and Mourzouk, when the latter is placed in reference to Mesurata, by 25 miles only; and the reported caravan distance falls only four short of Horneman’s. The reports of the Arabian geographers ought not to be put in competition with either.
IV. Respecting the Position of Mourzouk, Capital of Fezzan.
Mr. Horneman in his Journal transmitted from Tripoly, states the latitude of Mourzouk, by observation, to be 25° 54′ 15″; a parallel so different from the result of the other authorities, that it becomes necessary to examine those authorities, minutely. The reported observation, differs nearly two degrees from the parallel assigned it in the Proceedings of the Association printed in 1798. Without attempting to account for so great an (apparent) error, I shall proceed to adduce the authorities for its parallel, as assumed in the present map.