Gadamis. * It appears highly probable that this is the same place
with Teghery in Fezzan: but the distance arising on the fifteen
journies falls very short of the position of Teghery, placed as above.
Could this point be ascertained, it would operate as a check on the
position of Mourzouk; and I cannot but suspect, that this capital
is somewhat more to the west, or north-west, than it now stands
in the Map.
These facts are particularly noticed here, that future geographers
may inquire, whether the route of the Tunis caravan, to Soudan,
passes through Teghery in the western skirt of the country of
Fezzan; as I conceive it doth : and also that there is some error in
the combination of the geographical context, between Tunis, and
the eastern positions, which prevents the closing of the lines, to
the aforesaid town of Teghery.
One cannot dismiss the subject of Fezzan, without remarking,
* Gadamis, it would appear, ought to be placed more to the eastward than it appears
in the Map of 1798 ; which will increase the direct distance of Teghery from
Tunis, on the Map, by straightening the line of the road.
Gadamis was pointed out to Mr. Magrah, to bear from Tunis, S 4° E ; the distance
23 caravan days! O f these, the first 10 were to Kabes, situated in the Map of
D'Anville at i6 3 i G . miles, in a direction of S a very little W from Tunis. I f the
other 13 days (at the same rate of 16,35) equal to 212* G. miles, be laid off on the
line of S 4 E from Tunis, Gadamis will fall in latitude 30° 29' 30», longitude 11»
east. .
Mr. Magrah was told that it bore SW from Tripoly, but no distance is given.
Pliny says, that Cydamus lies opposite to Sairata (Sabart, or old Tripoly). In one
copy of Pliny, it is reckoned 12 journies from the Greater Syrtis. In this position it
is somewhat more than 240 G . miles from i t ; agreeing to 12 journies of the rate of
light travelling, described above, page 126. ■ ,
These data may be of use in the future corrections of the geography, as Gadamis
may, from its position, be a useful point of outset.
that the observations of Mr. Horneman have added another proof
of its being the country intended by the ancient authors, for that
of the Garamantes. For he has shewn us, that the black rocky
Desert, the continuation of the black Harutscb, passes between Fezzan
and Tripoly, and extends yet farther west, towards Gadamis;
and as Pliny places the Mons Ater in this position, with a desert
and the cities of the Garamantes beyond them, these cities cannot
well be any others than those of Fezzan.' (See above» page 151). I
shall also mention, in its place, another circumstance brought to
light by Mr. Horneman, concerning the Troglodytes mentioned by
Herodotus, in the neighbourhood of the Garamantes; and which,
induces a very strong belief that the people bordering on the southeast
of Fezzan, are meant.