The lake Debo or Debou is here placed as it was seen by M. Caillié, between Timbuctoo and the confluence of the two branches (at Isaca); it is called in the Arabic description Djebou. The name of this great lake is doubtless written جبو, and I suppose that in this word, the ﺟ is pronounced dhi, as at the Senegal. On this subject, I remark that, according to M. Caillié, the name of the town of Djenné is pronounced, in that country, in a peculiar manner, expressed here by Dhienné.
The same is the case with the name of Fouta-Dhialon which the English translator, after the Fellata, writes Fouta-Djalo[127]. In studying the Arabic nomenclature of the places bordering on the Senegal, this observation has appeared to me to be more and more confirmed; and it must by analogy be applicable to the neighbouring countries. The Marabouts had only the letter djim ﺝ at their disposal for expressing this liquid sound, which is of a peculiar nature, intermediate between the English th and the Arabic dj.
The marigots observed by M. Caillié on the left bank of the stream, correspond with the four rivers or canals belonging to Masera or Masina.
Kabera appears here to be placed beyond Timbuctoo (coming from Djenné): the place in question is perhaps distinct from Cabra; or Timbuctoo may be a little farther west of Cabra than has been supposed. M. Caillié in going to this city went due north by the compass, which places it only 17° west of Cabra.
With regard to Baniou, White River, it should be remembered that M. Caillié also translates in the same manner the word Bagoé, the name of a considerable tributary of the river running from Teuté, very far south, but falling in on the right bank, whereas the Baniou is on the left: there is therefore a difference both in the name and situation. Goé (and koué, according to Mungo Park) certainly signify white in Mandingo. But the words niou and lio, I cannot find in any vocabulary of Northern Africa, with the meaning of white and black. In Wolof, moul signifies black.
The Banimma of the maps cannot flow parallel with the great river, as I have explained above[128].
It would not be uninteresting to compare with this draught the pretended map of Bello himself, which Clapperton has given in his first travels[129]. Five or six sites only are connected with my subject; Djenné is here, as in the other, placed between two branches of the river, (a fresh point of conformity with our traveller) and the Massina is separated from it by the western branch. There again the r is substituted for the n; (and I presume for the same reason) for it is there spelt Jesni or Jenri, and Mashira[130].
For want of room, Bello has placed Sego and Masina, much too near together, as well as Fouta and Djenné. The city of Timbuctoo (written Tonbaktou) is not less misplaced by the august geographer; but he has marked between it and Mashira (Massina) a large tributary or off-branch: this is probably one of the four rivers which his secretary has indicated in the same space, and one of the marigots, the outlet of which was seen by M. Caillié[131]. Thus the only two native maps (if they may be so called) which we possess, and the recent descriptions of two Africans, all confirm the discoveries of M. Caillié, who was entirely unacquainted with them.
A corroborative testimony is that of Park himself. Similar names will be found in the two narratives for certain indigenous productions and for several instruments employed in the arts. The Mandingo words and names are either the same or analogous in the two narratives.
In a preceding article, I think I have sufficiently shewn the agreement of M. Caillié’s observations with those of other distinguished travellers, Mollien, Watt, and Winterbottom, and Major Laing. The particulars of Major Laing’s death collected by our traveller at Timbuctoo, and afterwards on the very theatre of the catastrophe, so far from contradicting those obtained either by the English Consul at Tripoli, or by the governor of the Senegal, confirm all the important circumstances of both[132].