bourhood o f the Eq u ato r , it turns to the east, pa s s ing a t the back o f the mountains o f K om r i, which give rise to the N i l e * T h e mountains in question, then, o u gh t to be those intended b y A b u lfe d a ; who b y the name K om r i, evidently meant to express'the Mounta ins o f the Moon-, from which P to lem y derives the remote source o f the N ile .+ A s A b u lfed a supposed the source o f the N ile to b e v e ry far to the south o r south-west (in which I agree generally with him), this chain may be supposed to pass onward from the abovementioned quarter, to the east, and south o f east, shutting up A b y s s in ia on the south. T h is , at least, seems the on ly wa y in which wè can fa ir ly understand A b u lfe d a ; in confirmation o f whose description, a part o f the ridge has been actually found by M r . P a rk .J A cco rd in g to L e o (p. 249), the country o f M e l l i is bordered on the south b y mountains; and these must be nearly in the same parallel with the mountains o f K o n g , seen b y M r . Pa rk. M r . B E A u r o Y was informed that the countries on the south and southwest o f the N ig e r , ly ing opposite to , and to the westward o f, Kassina, were also mountainous and woody. In particular in the line between Kassina and Assentai, the co u n try is said to be formed o f a succession o f hills, with woods o f vast extent, and some mountains o f ,a stupendous height. S A s the source o f the N ile is confessedly v e r y far to the south o f the * When the above is considered, we can understand that Abulfeda supposed the bays of Benin and St. Thomas to be 11 or 12 degrees more to: the east, than they really are1; and he might well suppose, that “ the sea came in at the back of the fountains that gave rise to the 'Nile.” ' 1 1 ■ ■■ i 'iMSQoar I ..I EK&Ky That the Nile o f Egypt, and not the Niger, is.meant, we learn in another place in the same author, where he speaks of the Egyptian Nile, and traces it to Egypt. Prolegomena, article Rivers. f Komri, or rather Kummeree, is the Arabic term for lunar ; and is-the adjeetive of Kummer, the moon. [Mr. Hastings.] J The mountains of Kong were seen by Mr. Park ; but no other part o f the chain; § African Association, 1790, and 1791» quarto ed. p. 117, 123 j octavo, 176, 186. Also quarto, 174; octavo, 260,- As two editions of this work are in the hands o f thé public, I have referred to both throughout this work ; distinguishing them respectively by and O. parallel o f 10 degrees north, this chain o f mountains, admitting it to continue its general easterly course, must bend to the southward, after it passes K o n g and M e lli, in o rd e r to pass above the sources o f the N i l e ; the principal o f which I con c e ive -to be situated in the country o f D a r f o o r . T h e highest part o f the portion o f this chain, pointed out b y M r . Pa rk’s discoveries, is situated between the 5th and 9th degrees o f west longitude ; fo r within this space are situated the sources o f the Gambia, which run to the wes t-north-wes t; o f the Senegal, running to the north-west; and o f the Joliba (o r N ig e r ) to the east-north-east.* T h e r e is, however, a general slope o f the country, extending to a great distance northward, formed b y a gradation o f summits o f lesser mountains and hills, as is shewn b y the, ear ly part o f the courses o f the r iv e r s ; in particular, that o f the N ig e r , which appears to run near 100 miles on a northerly course, before it turns finally to the eastward. A large portion o f the tract'bordering on the northern fo o t o f the mountains from whence the branches o f the Senega l riv er issue, is co v e red with thick forests. M r . P a r k s track on his return la y through these w o o d s ; ,o n e part o f which is named the Jallonka Wilde rness, in which no habitations were seen during fiv e days o f fo rced marching. T h e hardships endured, even b y the fr e e men o f this caravan, almost ex ce ed b e lie f.f . T h e head o f the principal branch o f the Senegal riyer is ab out 80 geographical miles to the west o f that o f the J o l ib a ; and the head o f the G ambia, is again, about t o o west o f the Senegal. T h e branches o f the latter are v e r y numerous, and intersect the country fo r about 200 miles from east to west, in the line o f the caravan ro u te : and it was this circumstance that detained M r , Pa rk, during a great part o f the periodical rainy season, in * The Rio Grande has its source very far to the south o f this chain; first running to the north, till it touches the foot o f this very ridge o f mountains, by which it is turned to the west. [Vide Mr. Watt’s Plan and Journal.] f The-caravan in question was composed chiefly o f slaves going from Manding to the ports o f the Gambia.
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