whenever the y cannot procure European cloths and linens, or when there is a great scarcity o f Fas and T a file lt manufactures o f silk, cotton, and woollen. It has been said that there is an extensive library at Tim- buctoo, consisting o f manuscripts in a character differing from the Arabic ; this, I am inclined to think, has originated in the fertile imagination o f some p o e t ; or, perhaps, some Arab or Moor, willing to indulge at the expense o f European curiosity, has fabricated such a story. In all my enquiries, during many years, I never heard o f any such library at Timbuctoo. The state library, which is composed for the most part o f manuscripts in the Arabic, contains a few Hebrew, and perhaps Chal- daic bo o ks; amongst the Arabic, it is, probable there are many translations from Greek and Latin authors at present unknown to Europeans, T h e Nile El Abeede, or Nile o f the Negroes, overflows in the same manner as the Nile Massar, or Nile o f E g yp t,* when the sun enters Cancer; this is the rainy season in the countries south o f the Great Desert, and in Jibbel Kumra, or the Mountains o f the Moon, from whence the waters descend which cause the riv e r to overflow its banks. A t Kabra, near Timbuctoo, it * Some writers have thought that the word Nile is applied to all great rivers; what foundation they may have for this supposition I aoi not learned enough to ascertain; but I know that among the African Arabs, there are but two streams, which are called Nile, and these have been made two separate rivers by Europeans only, for in Africa there is decidedly but one opinion respecting them, viz. that they are streams which communicate with each other, the Nile El Abeede being the greater, and running through a larger tract of territory than the Nile Cham, or Nile Massar, hence it is called Nile el Kabeer, the greater N ile; the Nile of Egypt, however, is not called the smaller Nile, but always the Nile Cham, or Nile Massar, i. e. the Nile of Egypt, Cham being also an Arabic name for Egypt when united to Syria and other countries. becomes a v e ry large stream. River horses are found in the Nile El Abeede, as well as crocodiles, and the country contiguous to its southern banks is covered with forests o f primeval growth, in which are many trees o f great size and beauty. These forests abound with elephants o f an enormous size. The river, according to the concurrent testimony o f the Arabs and the Moors, and all travellers who have been on the spot, flows from west to east, and is about the width o f the Thames at London; the stream is so v e ry rapid in the middle, as to oblige the boats which navigate to Jinnie to keep close to the shore : and the boatmen, instead o f oars, push the boat on with long poles.* T h e soil about Timbuctoo is generally fertile, and near the river produces rice, millet, Indian corn, and other g r a in ; wheat and barley grow in the plains, and are cultivated principally b y the Arabs o f the tribe o f Brabeesh.-f CoffeeJ grows w ild here, as does also in d ig o ; the latter, however, is cultivated in some parts, and produces a v e ry fine blue dye, which they use in their various cotton manufactures; a specimen o f this colour may be seen in the British Museum, in a piece o f cloth o f * These boats are thirty days in reaching Jinnie ; during the passage the Nile takes a considerable turn to the south, and returns again, forming a semi-circle; this curve is denominated (El Kos NileJ the curve, or bow of the Nile. A large stone is a substitute in these boats for an anchor, which would not hold in the muddy bottom of the river; these are attached to a cable, and thrown overboard at night, during which, watch is kept to prevent the Negroes from approaching, who often swim to, and plunder the boats, when not kept off by fire-arms. + Some tribute is paid by the town of Timbuctoo to this tribe, by way of s e c u r i n g their forbearance from plundering the caravans from the north, which pass through their territory. t I sent a quantity of this coffee to Mr. James Willis, who had formerly the appointment of Consul for Senegambia; but this gentleman informed me, on my arrival in England, that it was of a very inferior quality. K It
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