Travels in the interior districts of Africa: performed under the direction and patronage of the African Association, in the years 1795, 1796, and 1797

by Mungo Park

Tagua lies between Zagua and Dongola, and its capital at 13 journies from Matthan, (p. 15). Northward it extends to the tract of Al Wahat, the western province of Upper Egypt. Thus, its position cannot be mistaken.

The country of Kuku (this must not be mistaken for Kauga) lies to the NW of Tagua; NE of Bornou; and joins on the NE to Al Wahat. This is an extensive country, bordering on the Desert of Libya, and partakes of its nature. Its capital of the same name is situated at 20 journies to the north of Kauga. It is also 14 to the eastward of Tamalma, which is itself 12 to the northward of Matthan. Hence Kuku may be approximated, in position. (Edrisi, page 13, et seq.)

A river runs from N to S by Kuku, and is received into a lake at a great distance from Kuku; perhaps the lake of Kauga: and the river itself may form a part of that, said to run near Angimi,[114] of which more in the sequel.

Kuar, or Kawar, lies to the northward of Kuku and of Bornou; and extends eastward to Al Wahat. It is bounded on the north by that extensive Desert which separates Egypt from Fezzan; and which contains the wandering tribe of Lebeta or Levata; as also various Oases, or fertile islands; amongst the rest, those of Augela, Berdoa, Seewah, and that which contained the temple of Jupiter Ammon. This Desert I regard as the proper Desert of Libya: and it may be a question whether the tribe of Lebeta, although now found in the interior of the country, may not have originally inhabited the sea coast; and that the Greeks denominated Africa from them.[115] This was the part of Africa the nearest, and first colonized by the Greeks; and it is a known fact, that the Adyrmachidæ and Nasamones, who, in the days of Herodotus, inhabited the coasts, were at a succeeding period, found in the inland parts about Ammon and Augela.

The capital of Kuar is by Edrisi placed adjacent to Fezzan; but there is either some mistake in this, or I do not comprehend the matter rightly. (Ed. p. 39, 40.) Tamalma, a city of Kuar, is only 12 days from Matthan (p. 14.), so that the Desert of Bilma, or Bulma, must lie between it and Fezzan. Mederam Isa, another of its cities, is said to be only two days from Zuela, or Zawila, a city of Fezzan: and Izer, a third city, is placed in the same neighbourhood, and near a large lake. Either then, these cities belong to Fezzan, and are by mistake classed as belonging to Kuar; or they really belong, as well as Tamalma, (of which there is no doubt) to Kuar. I am inclined to the latter opinion, for the following reasons. In the catalogue of places, in Fezzan (in Af. Assoc.) there is no mention either of Izer, Isa, Bulmala, or of a lake near the former. But there is a remarkable salt lake near Dumboo, on the northern frontier of Bornou, which from its relative position to Tamalma, may well be the one intended by Edrisi: especially as Bulmala, (p. 40.) which may be meant for Bulma, occurs in the same neighbourhood. The salt lakes of Dumboo are said to be situated in the Desert of Bilma;[116] which Desert appears to be a prolongation of the Libyan Desert to the SW.

Zanfara is said by Labat, to be 50 journies from Tombuctoo.[117] Leo places it between Wangara and Zegzeg; which latter, by the same authority, being to the SE of Cano (or Ganat) Zanfara must necessarily border on the NE of Ghana; having Bornou on the east, Agadez and Kassina (which we formerly erroneously spelt Cashnah) on the west. Here it may be proper to observe, that in the present political division of Africa, Kassina comprizes generally the provinces between Fezzan and the Niger; and that Zanfara is its eastern boundary. Of course Ghana, which in the 15th century was paramount in the centre of Africa, is now become a province of Kassina.

To the south of the line between Ghana and Nubia, very few particulars are known to Europeans. The knowledge of Edrisi, was limited to this line itself: and the only country known to him on the south of the Niger, was Melli, which he calls Lamlem. Nor did the knowledge of Leo, extend beyond the countries contiguous to the south bank of the Niger; nor to any country west of Tombuctoo; although by mistake, he places Ghana and Melli, there. This may serve to shew, that the people on the north side of the Niger, have very little communication with those, who live beyond the great belt of mountains, which runs across Africa, at about the 10th degree.

Nor did the inquiries of Mr. Beaufoy produce any thing more than the names of certain of the adjacent countries; the only one of which that can be placed, is Begarmee (perhaps the Begama of Edrisi) said to be 20 journies to the SE of Bornou, and separated from it by several small deserts.[118] It seems to be the country intended by the Gorham of D’Anville.

Kororofa and Guber are said in Mr. Beaufoy’s MSS. to lie to the west of Begarmee; the latter bordering on Wangara. Neither of these, can well be in a lower parallel than 11° or 12 degrees. But Darfoor, a country of considerable extent and population, and apparently the farthest removed of any that has a communication with Egypt, is pointed out to our notice by Mr. Ledyard, as has been already shewn.[119]

In the present limited state of our knowledge respecting the interior of Africa, it would be mis-spending time to attempt to follow Leo, in his detail of provinces and nations, in the parts remote from the immediate scene of our discoveries; or of the routes communicated to the Association. But it is of the utmost importance to the argument respecting the course of the Niger, that I should clear up some of his errors regarding the positions of Ghana (his Ginea) and Melli.