[63]Mr. Browne, (page 473,) states the distance between Donga, and the (southern) limit of Bornu, to be 20 journies.
[64]Mr. Horneman’s informant called it Ungara; and it appears that the Arabs name it Belad-el-Tebr, or the country of gold. (Herbelot and Bakui.) Mr. Browne was told, in Darfoor, that gold was not found in any quantity, to the west. But Wangara, a country of gold, at least in former times, lies to the west of Darfoor!
[65]There is a town named Taboo, a considerable way to the SW of Fezzan. D’Anville writes it Tibedou. It seems to be the Tabidium of Pliny, one of the towns conquered by the Romans, under Balbus. (Pliny, lib. v. c. 4 and 5.) Pliny says, c. 8. that “the Romans possessed the country, even to the river Niger, which separates Africa from Ethiopia;” and gives a long list of provinces and towns subject to them. It may be conceived, that besides Fezzan, Gadamis, Taboo, &c. they possessed the fertile tract, in the line from thence to the Niger; that is, Agadez, Kashna, and perhaps Gana.
It may be remarked that Pliny (c. 8) speaks of two Ethiopias; and quotes Homer, as having divided them into Eastern and Western. One may conceive that the division between them, was the fertile tract in question, extending from Fezzan, in the line towards the Niger.
[66]Levata of Leo, page 245.
[67]From Mourzouk to Gatron, (or Kattron,) south 54 miles; understood to be of British standard, and to include the windings of the road. Thence to Tegerhie, SSW 33 miles. To Abo 7 days; and thence to Tibesty, 3 days in an easterly direction. Finally, to Burgu, 18 days; each of which 28 days are reckoned 18 B. miles by the road. See above, [page 107.]
It has been calculated in [page 155,] that Teghery, by the general result of the authorities, should be placed S 26 W, 68 G. miles from Mourzouk.
From thence, the 10 days to Tibesty, in an easterly direction, may be taken at about 140 G. miles; which meeting the line of 7 days, equal to 98 G. miles from Temissa, (See Proceed. Afr. Assoc. 1790, chap. iv.) places Tibesty at 133 miles SE by E. from Mourzouk.
[68]The Troglodytæ were found in every place where nature or art had prepared recesses for them; and are always gifted with superior swiftness of foot. In particular, in Pliny, lib. vii. c. 2. and in Hanno’s Voyage, &c.
Considering that Fezzan, under the name of Garamanta, was one of the earliest known inland countries of Africa, to the Greeks, it is not altogether improbable that the first idea of the characteristic swiftness of the Ethiopian Troglodytæ, was derived from thence. And considering also the false idea entertained by the Greeks, of the bearing of the western side of Africa, Hanno might have supposed the source of the river Lixus, the reported seat of his Troglodytæ, to have been situated in the centre of Africa.