j 8 s co n 's t r u c t io n o f t h e g e o g r a p h y o f
country of Agadez; which, with other provinces adjacent, forms a
state named collectively, Asben. It adjoins to Kashna (a part of the
empire of Houssa,) on the south; Bournu on the east. Its capital
is the city of Agadez, said, by Mr. Magrah’s informant, to be in size
equal to the suburbs of Tunis; which, Mr. Magrah observes, compose
the largest proportion of that city.
But it would appear by the Soudan route, transmitted by that
gentleman, that the establishments of the Tuarick in other places,
as Gazer, Tagazee, Jenet, &c. consisted only of small villages, scattered
through an immensity of space: indeed, like most of the other
tribes situated within this singular region. Zanfara and Guber, which
are said to lie adjacent, pay a tribute to Asben.
The Hagara are the most easterly of the Tuarick, and are near
Fezzan. These I am not able to place on the Map: possibly, they
either occupy Ganat, on the south of Fezzan; or, as the Tuarick
possess Jenet and Sockna, on the NW of it, the town of Agaree, in
the same quarter, may be the Hagara meant. It appears in the
routes collected by Mr. Magrah, at Tunis.
Mr. Homeman also mentions, but without any notice of situation,
the Matkara tribe: also that of Tagama, situated towards Tom-
buctoo and Soudan.* He forms an ingenious conjecture respecting
this tribe. They are said to be whiter than the rest of the Africans
of the interior (or rather, perhaps, less black); and are not Mahometans.
Now, as the term Nazary, or Christian, is applied generally
to those whom the Mahometans call unbelievers, Mr. Homeman
* Ptolemy has a city named Tagama, at the Niger, hut too far to the east, to
answer to the position here given. (Afr. Tab. IV .) . There is also a Tegma in our
geography, near Kashna.
infers that this circumstance has given rise to the report of there
being a tribe of white Christians near Tombuctoo.*
The eastern Tuarick live chiefly a Nomadic life.
One curious particular relating to the Tuarick is, that they have
formed colonies in Siwah, Augila, and Sockna ; all of which are
commercial places, forming a chain along the northern border of
the Libyan Desert, towards the maritime states along the Mediterranean.
To these, the Lesser Oasis is to be added, in course ; as
speaking the same language as Siwah ; and this is corroborated by
Mr. Browne, who says (page 132), that the Lesser Oasis forms a
kind of capital settlement of the Muggrebine Arabs. Gadamis also
may possibly be found to be a colony of the same people ; whose
establishments of this kind, may extend along the northern border
of the whole Sahara ; since they have colonies in a quarter so remote
from their own nation.-f
The Tuarick are said, by Mr. Homeman, to be a very interesting
people ; the most so, of any of the tribes of the Sahara : but he
gives the palm of intelligence, benevolence, and mildness,, to the
people of Houssa ; who are, however, Negroes.
* Many persons have expected to find in the interior, of Africa, the remains of
the Carthaginian nation, expelled by the Romans. Considering, however, the vast
interval of time that has elapsed, we can hardly expect to find the remnant of a
nation, continuing so far unmixed with the surrounding nations, as to preserve their
distinction of character and language. Besides, it would really seem as i f the Carthaginians
themselves, (meaning the descendants o f the Phoenicians,) were not to be
regarded as a nation> so much as bodies of citizens, inhabiting commercial, towns : so
that their language may never have prevailed generally over Barbary.
+ Mr. Browne (page 232) denominates the people of the Greater Oasis, Muggrc-
line Arabs, as well as those of the Lesser. It is probable then, that all. the Oases are-
colonies of the Tuarick.