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]