144 TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. C H A P . m . accounts, and which proved to be only mud tombs, or remains of old houses. From Morzouk to this place is about forty days! journey. West. '' W j H * ; { Morzouk to Tessowa 1 day. Town and old castle. Tessowa to Oubari................ 2 Town. Oubari to Haghki................. 2 Besting place. Haghki to Kaibo................... 4 do. Kaibo to Bengheh................. 6 do. Bengheh to Doukaraat...... 2 do. Doukaraat to Tadera 5 do. Tadera to Amaghi................. 7 do. Amaghi to Temadraati 3 do. Temadraati to Houhaned... 1-J do. Houhaned to Oonabraghri.. 4 do. Oonabraghri to Ain el Sala.. 2 Town in Tuat. Between Tadera and Amaghi is a desert, which is travelled eight days without water. All the road is sand without any other vegetation than a few occasional shrubs, from Morzouk to Ain el Sala, which is the northern town in Tuat, and the first reached by all the Kaifles from the coast of Morocco. Tafilet is ten days north-west of it. Tombuctoo, or Tembuctoo, is fifty days from Ain el Sala, and the road is entirely over a desert: The first place from Ain el Sala is Akably, a very large town, which is two days. From thence to Mabrook is thirty-five days: this place is so called from its being the custom for those who have passed the Desert to rest and refresh there, each congratulating the other on having safely arrived over their perilous road, by the usual salutation o f “ Mabrook,” which signifies joy or happiness. Hence to Tembuctoo is fifteen days. Ghadams, belonging to the Bashaw of Tripoli, is twenty days north-north-west of Ain el Sala. Tembuctoo is about 90 days’ journey from Morzouk, and the c h a p . m . NOTICES OF T H E INT ERIOR. 145 road thence is through Tuat. From the account given by mer- chants, it appears that it is not so large a town as has been imagined; and indeed some agree in saying, that it is not more extensive than Morzouk. It is walled ; the houses are very low, and with the exception of one or two small streets, are built irregularly. Huts of mats seem to be in greater numbers than the houses. The merchants to whom I suggested the idea, generally agreed with me, that the immense population which is said to exist there, may be thus accounted for. Many of the kaffles from Morocco, Ghadams, Tripoli, and the Negro states along the banks of the Nil, are obliged to remain there during the rainy season, or until their goods are sold. -During their stay, they find it necessary to build huts or houses, to shelter themselves and their merchandise. These buildings are got up in a few days ; and thus, perhaps, ten or fifteen thousand inhabitants may, in the course o f a month, be added to the population, which occasions Tembuctoo to be thought an immense town by those who are only there at the same- time as other strangers; but when the causes which detain the travellers cease, the place appears (what in reality it is said to be) insignificant, ■ Thus it is that the accounts of itdifler so much. Kabra, which is its port, is situated south of it about 19 miles, and a person on foot may easily walk to and return from it in a day. It is more properly a collection o f store-houses than a town; the few people residing there being employed to take care of the cargoes of vessels. Large boats from Jenne come and unload at this place. The river, called Goulbi or.Nil (the former name is Soudan, merely a generic term for all waters, and by no means applicable to the Niger alone), is here very broad, and flows slowly past from the westward. Many people agree in saying, that in the dry season, a camel may pass over it without swimming; but after the rains, it becomes very deep, rapid, and dangerous.
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