porcupines, baboons, wolves, and a large species of rat
which frequents the river. He does not appear to have seen
either hippopotami or alligators. (19)
Besides these, there is in the vicinity of Tombuctoo
a most extraordinary animal named courcoo, somewhat
resembling a very large dog, but having an opening or
hollow on its back like a pocket, in which it carries its
prey. (2°) It has short pointed ears and a short tail. Its
skin is of an uniform reddish-brown on its back, like a fox,
but its belly is of a light-grey colour. It will ascend trees
with great agility and gather cocoa-nuts, which Adams
supposes to be a part of its food. But it also devours
goats and even young children, and the Negroes were
greatly afraid of it. Its cry is like that of an owl.
The wolves are destructive to asses as well as goats. The
foxes frequently carry off young goats and guinea-fowls,
particularly the former. Although he never saw either lions,
tigers, or wild cats; yet the roaring of animals' of these
descriptions was heard every night in the neighbouring
mountains. (21)
The domestic birds are guinea-fowls. The wild birds are
ostriches, eagles, crows, owls, green parrots, a large brown
bird that lives upon fish, and several smaller birds. He does
not recollect to have seen any swallows. (22)
31
The ostriches are about double the size of a turkey, quite
wild, and go in flocks. When any are observed in the day
time, the place where they resort is marked, and they are
caught at night by men mounted on hefries, who strike
them with sticks. When they are first caught their feathers
are very beautiful. The flesh of the ostrich is cooked
without being previously dried in the sun, and is good
eating, as well as the eggs, which are boiled : in fact, almost
every thing which the Negroes of Tombuctoo eat is boiled.
The principal animal food eaten by the Negroes is goats’
flesh. Adams did not see more than one cow killed during
his stay; and then, he thinks, it was on account of the
animal’s being in a declining state. The cows are very
small, and but few in number: some, of them are milk-
white ; but the colour of the greater part is red.
There are two sorts of ants at Tombuctoo; the largest
black, the smallest red; which appear at times in prodigious
numbers. He has also seen bees there ; but he has
no recollection of having seen any honey.
Having occasionally at night, seen a light like fire on the
mountains to the southward of the town, Adams had the
curiosity to visit them, and found a considerable quantity of
sulphur, which the natives collected. The only use to which
he has seen them apply this mineral, was to mix it with