Even though Europeans should attempt only the land passage between the two rivers, this would be an enterprise founded on a more accurate knowledge of the situation and distance of places, and, if not an immediate consequence, would, at least, be an indirect result of M. Caillié’s travels on the two banks of the great river. It is unnecessary for me to add, that if, for want of positive documents, I should have erred in tracing the itinerary, the fault will be all my own, and will detract nothing from the merit of our traveller, or from the gratitude due to him from all friends and patrons of discoveries.
To continue our examination of the geographical results of M. Caillié’s travels, I ought not to omit the attention he has paid to make himself acquainted with the situation and depth of the wells; a circumstance from which useful inferences may be drawn relative to the course and distance of the waters: he has not neglected remarks upon the climate, the periodical rains,[118] and the state of the atmosphere. The learned will, no doubt, deeply regret that he was unprovided with instruments for observing and measuring meteorological phenomena: but it is not on a man’s first travels that these lights can be obtained; and, besides, none of our readers have forgotten the perils which attended our countryman in the execution of his enterprize.
The situations of several known places experience extraordinary changes in consequence of M. Caillié’s peregrinations, without mentioning the towns washed by the Dhioliba. Toudeyni, which was supposed to be 3½ degrees west of the meridian of Timbuctoo, proves by M. Caillié’s route to be very near the wells of Telig, only 40’ west of that meridian. Is this another place of the same name? I doubt it: its importance, proved by the description given of it by our traveller, repels the supposition. A’raouan[119] is inscribed in the maps as a mere station, with a well of brackish water; but M. Caillié found this a considerable place, a commercial entrepôt, in a word, an important town, notwithstanding the partial decay of its prosperity.
M. Caillié makes us acquainted in the north with a place called Oualet, at a great distance from the Walet of Mungo Park, and another of the name of Sala, which confirms the testimony of Arabic writers; in the south the towns of Teuté, Cagny, or Canny, and Koung, fifteen days and more south of Timé, that is to say, near the seventh degree. This account rectifies our notions of the kingdoms or states east of Fouta-Dhialon, and distinctly points out the mountainous tracts, the sandy plains, and the fertile territories enriched by numerous rivers.
We were before uncertain about the district of Bouré; the new notes enable us to give it on the maps very nearly its true site.
The large towns in which he resided, such as Timbuctoo, Fez,[120] Djenné, Kankan, are very minutely described, and were I not unwilling to lengthen this paper, it would be easy to shew how much he has added in this respect to our information, and also how many false and exaggerated ideas he has corrected: this is a merit for which we ought to give him double credit; since he is, perhaps, of all travellers the one who has dissipated the greatest number of illusions. Sound minds will feel the more grateful to him in proportion to the currency formerly gained by these exaggerations. The lapse of time may, indeed, have effected actual changes in the importance and population of towns; we must not, for instance, be surprized at the difference between the description of Leo and that given at the present day.[121] Who was there but believed, only a short time since, that Timbuctoo was equal in extent to one of our large cities, and contained within its walls a population of a hundred thousand inhabitants, or even from a hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand? The most moderate computation, says M. Walckenaer, gives it a hundred thousand inhabitants.[122] The exaggerations of the Arabs have constantly held the Europeans under the same error, and in the itinerary of Mohamed-Ebn-Aly Ebn-Foul especially it is said: “This is the largest city which God has created.”[123]
With regard to the account of the mountains of Fouta-Dhialon, and the means afforded by the descriptions of M. Caillié for forming an idea of the configuration of the country, or the relations which exist between the situations of the different basons, I must refer to what I have said in § II. (articles 2 and 3); I shall also refer to the same for the positions of various countries, pompously called kingdoms by travellers or writers.
Although he did not receive either from government, or from any learned societies, those questions or instructions which might have guided him in his course, M. Caillié has observed much; if he has not treated his subject very profoundly, if indeed he has but glanced at it, he has at least opened the road to his successors.
It is thus that during his travels he has lost no opportunity of speaking of the manners and customs, of the costume and food, of the people; of their religious practices and superstitions; of their commerce and navigation; of their industry, agriculture, and habitations; of the population of the countries; of the character, the physiognomy, and the language of the inhabitants; of their warlike or peaceful habits; in a word, of the whole state of society amongst these still half barbarous people. The picture of a flourishing agriculture, a peaceful and industrious population in the countries of Kankan, Ouassoulo, Baléya, &c., will be read with peculiar interest. Could it be expected that he should penetrate deeply into these subjects, or even that he could direct his attention to them with benefit?
It would be superfluous here to repeat all the new results for which we are indebted to him, and which make ample amends for the frequently minute simplicity of his accounts; they well depict the difficulties of the journey and the precautions which it requires. Future travellers will not complain of the multiplicity of his details, monotonous, it is true, but convenient in pointing out to them the measures necessary to avoid miscarrying in their enterprize. On this ground M. Caillié will have contributed usefully to the progress of discovery.