“ Being the first European traveller undertaking so long a journey
in this part of the world, J will not put my discoveries to the hazard,
by exposing myself to the casualties of long and unnecessary residence
and delays in any one place, and propose staying no longer at Bornou
than till the month of September, when I shall proceed to Cashna
with the great caravan, which always about that time of the year
sets out from Bornou for Soudan.
“ I cannot yet decide on my further procedure on leaving Soudan,
or Cashna, but you may depend on my best intentions and wishes
to give full satisfaction to the Society.
“ Consider this letter as the last for this year, or perhaps as the
last before my arrival at some port on the coast of Africa, - March
the 24th I sent a long letter from Tripoly, and being by a good
opportunity, have no doubt of its arriving safe*
« In addition to what I stated in my letter of the 34th of March,
I have to observe, that in the small-pox, the application used here to
preserve the eyes of children, consists of what they term samsuc,
(tamarinds,) and zurenbula zigollan, (onions,) and this with good
effect, as I am told.
“ I have more particularly made inquiry respecting venereal disorders,
and can confirm what I before wrote, that salts and colo-
quintida, (in Arabic bandai) are specific remedies for that disease
in this country, and used in the manner I described.
“ From every information I can collect, the natives of Fezzan are
not susceptible of venereal infection more than once in their lives.
It is singular, that notwithstanding there is a great difference as to
# It never came to hand.
the nature of this disease, between poxes brought here by the caravan
from Soudan, and by those from Tripoly and Cairo, yet never
(or at least very seldom,) can a man get these two sorts one after
the other in the course of his life.
“ Some days past I spoke to a man who had seen Mr. Brown in
Darfoor; he gave me some information respecting the Countries h#
travelled through, and told me, that the communication of the Niger
with the Nile was not to be doubted, but that this communication
before the rainy season was very little in those parts; the Niger
being at the dry period reposing, or nonfluens.
“ Not long ago, the same custom was observed at Bornou as in
ancient times at Cairo, ‘ a girl very richly dressed, was thrown into
the river Niger.’
“ Comparing my enquiries as to Soudan, and its communication
with the western and south-western coasts of Africa, it must lay
generally by the way of NyffC and Jerba, and be twelve times
greater than that between Fezzan and Soudan.
“ I recommend myself to your remembrance, and assuring you
of my great esteem, am
“ S ir ,
“ Your most obedient,
“ FREDERICK HORNEMAN.”
Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, K. B.
President of the Royal Society, £sV.