The point on which the central and eastern positions depend, is Ghinny; or Ghana, (as Edrisi and Abulfeda call it) a city, and capital of a kingdom situated nearly midway between the Indian Sea and the Atlantic, on the E and W; and between the Mediterranean and the Ethiopic Seas, on the N and S. Fortunately, this point, on which so many others depend, can be satisfactorily approximated: though by this, I do not mean to any degree of nicety, where an extent of 70 degrees, nearly, is in question.
According to Edrisi, Ghana lies 37 journies from Germa, through Agadez, or Agadost. Germa, an ancient and ruined city of Fezzan, lies to the ESE of Mourzouk, about four journies.[99] The position of Germa therefore will be about lat. 27° 25′: lon. 16° 20′ E. Agadez in 25 of Edrisi’s journies from Germa,[100] and is said to bear S by W, or SSW from the capital of Fezzan.[101] Again, Agadez is given at 48 caravan journies from Gadamis, which latter is 24 such journies in a southerly direction from Tunis.[102] The road to Agadez makes a considerable angle, by passing through Tegerhy, situated 80 miles only, to the SW or WSW of Mourzouk:[103] and hence the direct distance of 48 journies must undergo some diminution. The result places Agadez S by W ¼ W from Mourzouk, 479 G. miles distant; which only exceeds by six miles the distance arising on the 25 journies from Germa: and its position will be at a few minutes above the parallel of 20 degrees, and a little more than half a degree of longitude west of Tripoly. The position receives some further check, from the circumstance of Tegerhy being midway between Kabes and Agadez.[104]
Ghana is 12 days of Edrisi’s scale to the southward of Agadez, or about 229 G. miles.[105] It appears that Ghana lies somewhat to the east of the line which passes through Agadez from Germa; whence some little deduction should be made from the aggregate distance of 37 days, or 705 miles; and I have therefore taken 700 as the general line of distance from Germa to Ghana.
Mr. Matra was told, at Morocco, that Ghinny (Ghana of Edrisi) was 40 journies from Kabra, the port of Tombuctoo, along the bank of the Niger. These, taken at the caravan rate between Fezzan and Egypt; Morocco and Jarra; &c. that is at 16,3 per day, produce 652 G. miles. The intersection of this line with that from Germa, places Ghana in lat. 16° 10′, lon. 13° 2′ E of Greenwich; in which position it stands at 760 miles from the city of Benin, on the coast of Guinea.[106]
De Barros says, that when the Portugueze first explored the Coast of Guinea (about 1469) the king of Benin held his kingdom of the king of Ogane, as his superior lord; and that ambassadors were sent accordingly, to obtain a confirmation of his authority. The distance of Ogane (doubtless meant for Ghana) from Benin, was stated to be 250 leagues of Portugal; which being of 18 to a degree, are equal to about 833 G. miles. And if from these we deduct ½ for the inflections of the road, there remain 740 for the direct line; which, as the reader will perceive, is very near the former result. Thus the determination of this important point, appears satisfactory.[107]
Before I speak further concerning Ghana and Melli, with a view to identify them with the same countries mentioned by Leo, it will be proper to close the line of distance eastward to Nubia.
Between Ghana on the west, and Dongola on the east,[108] the interval on the map is about 1118 G. miles, in an E by N direction, nearly. Edrisi gives a chain of distance between them: and although we cannot ascertain the exact bearing of the several parts, yet enough is known, to enable us to approximate the general bent of it; which is to the south; and the degree of curvature seems to be such, as to increase the distance 50 or 60 miles; say 55, and then the line of Edrisi may be taken at 1173 G. miles.[109] Now as he reckons 66 journies, each will be no more than 17¾: and his usual standard is 19, or 1¼ more. This difference may easily arise on some of the longer portions of the line; which, although given in the aggregate, may be broken into several parts, and each of them inflected from the other in some degree. Such, for instance, may be the case of the line of 30 days between Dongola and Kauga; although the bearing of it, on the whole, is SW by W, or WSW. Therefore the interval of space between Ghana and Dongola seems to be satisfactorily filled up. Or, if we take the whole number of computed journies between Pisania on the Gambia river, and Dongola on the Nile, at 158; of which 92 are between Pisania and Ghana, 66 between the latter and Dongola; there will be on the former, according to our construction, a ratio of about 16,6 G. miles per day, on the direct line; and 16,9 on the latter.
To the northward of this line, and in the quarter towards Nubia, are situated the countries or kingdoms of Bornou (or Kanem) Tagua, Kuku, Kuar, and Zagawa: and in the quarter towards Ghana, are Zanfara, and Zegzeg. Most of them are mentioned, as well by Leo, as by Edrisi.
There is a route to the capital of Bornou given in the Proceedings of the Association, 1790-91, by which it is placed at about SE ½ S from Mourzouk, distant 660 G. miles; whence it falls on the map exactly in the same parallel with Dongola, and at 524 miles to the west of it: so that the country of Bornou occupies the middle space between Nubia and Ghana; Fezzan and Sennar.[110] There is little doubt that Bornou is the Kanem of Edrisi, said to border on Nubia. Angimi (or Gimi) in particular, one of its cities, is said to be near Nubia, on the east.[111] There is a city of the name of Kanem, in the way from Fezzan to the capital of Bornou, as we learn not only from Mr. Beaufoy’s MSS. but from a note in Hartmann:[112] but this cannot be the capital of Kanem, intended by Edrisi; because neither the bearings nor the distances to it, from Dongola and Nubia agree; and also, because the bearing and distance from Dongola do agree exactly to the capital pointed out, by Mr. Beaufoy: and which Edrisi names Matthan, or Matsan. This capital he places at 31 days journey to the west of Nubia, whose position, however, is too uncertain to reckon upon: but Abulfeda says that Zagua, or Zagara, is 20 journies west from Dongola;[113] and Matthan, according to Edrisi, is eight journies from Zagua, (p. 15). It has already been noticed that the capital of Bornou falls in the same parallel with Dongola; and here we learn that Zagua, is also in the same parallel with it; consequently, the whole 28 journies from Dongola, may be taken on the same westerly bearing; and the result will be, a distance of 534 miles; differing only 10 from the interval on the map. Consequently, the Matthan of Edrisi may be taken for the capital of Bornou, pointed out by the above authority.
The countries of Zagua (or Zagara) and Tagua, fill up the space between the kingdom of Bornou and Nubia. The former appears to be a small province, perhaps a dependency of Bornou. The situation of its capital is inferred above, to be eight journies to the east of that of Bornou.