stead o f what happens; at present, the N ile ought to be kep t up to n ear ly its highest pitch, a very lo n g time after the Niger. N o r can I believe with P. Sicard and M . D ’A n v ille , that the waters o f K a u g a and Bo rn o u communicate with the r iv e r o f Eg yp t. P . S ica rd , it appears, had learnt from a native o f B o rn o u , that the r iv e r which passed the capital .o f his country, communicated with the N i le , during the time o f the inundation, b y the medium o f the B a b r A z r a c , o r B lu e r iv e r .* M . D ’A n v ille supposed this N i le to b e meant fo r the r iv e r o f E g y p t ; and the communication to b e effected b y the medium o f the lake o f K a u g a ; and that it flow ed into the W h ite R iv e r opposite Sennar. B u t the space o f several hundred miles, which intervenes between this lake and the W h ite R iv e r , is v e ry u n favo u rab le to such an o p in io n ; e v en i f the levels co u ld b e supposed to allow it. I rather co n c e iv e , that Sicard, not aware o f the ex ten s iv e application ,of the term N e e l, or N i le (whieh in A fr ic a seems to mean any great r iv e r ), con c lu d ed that the r iy e r o f E g yp t alone, could b e intended; whereas, I have n o d oub t but that the r iv e r which passes near K a u g a and A n g im i, was m ean t: (no matter whether it jo in s the Niger, or o th e rw ise ;) for Edrisi says, that A n g im i, in Kan em, situated near the borders o f N u b ia , is o n ly three jo u rn ie s from the N i le (implied to be that o f the Negroes, that is, the N ig e r A B u t A ng im i must b e more than 20 jo u rn ie s to the westward o f D o n g o la , situated on the Eg yptian N i le ; fo r Z a g u a is 20 journies from D o n g o la to the west,% and A n g im i 6 from Z a g u a , j in a direction, which at least, increases the distance. Besides, a r iv e r o f the name o f N i le , or N e e l, passes b y K a u g a , || which is 30 days to the south westward o f D o n g o la : and apparently ab ou t s ix from A ng imi. Doubtless, this is the N ile intended b y the informant o f P . Sicard; and can have no relation to the Eg yptian N ile , otherwise than in name, * Mem. Acad. Inscrip. V o l. xxvi. p. 67. Azrac, or blue, is a term applied to certain Avers, by the Arabs, as Melas, or black, by the Greeks. It is applied in Abyssinia to the eastern branch of the Nile, seemingly in contradistinction to the Babr Abiad, or White ftiver; whose waters are muddy, whilst those of the other are remarkably clear. t Edrisi, p. 14, j Abulfeda, article Soudan. § Edrisi, p. 14. H Edrisi, p. 7. B u t in the notices respecting the western course o f a r iv e r , o r rivers, from the confines o f N u b ia , B o rn o u , See. I think I p erceive abundant reason for belief, that such a course o f waters does re a lly exist : although perhaps, not ex ac tly in the mode described.* T h e r e are notices o f a considerable river in Bo rn o u (or Kanem) called the W a d -a l-G a z e ) , o r R iv e r o f the Antelopes, said to jo in the N ile during the time o f the inundations : t o f another at K u k u , more to the north, said to take its course southward, to the N ile .J A ls o , o f a N ile near A n g im i and K a u g a , before spoken of. A n d finally, Edrisi § says, that a branch o f the E g yp tian N ile , issuing from the great la k e at T um i, in the south, forms the head o f the N ig e r , o r N ile o f the N egro e s . || He re it is well worth remarking, that Ptolemy describes a branch springin g from the S E about the parallel o f io ° , and amongst the N u b i, which branch flows into the G ir , a river distinct from the N ig e r , and appearing to answer to the r iv e r o f Bo rnou, & c . T h is accords e x a c tly with E drisi’s idea ; o n ly that it does not flow from the same lake as the N ile , separated from it on ly b y a mountain. B u t M . D ’A n v ille , in my idea,, interprets v e r y fairly the scope o f the in telligen c e furnished b y Edrisi, b y supposing that the sources o f the tw o riv e rs (or the courses o f them) w e re separated on ly b y a ridge o f mountains.* * L e o says, that the head o f the N ig e r is within 120 miles o f the co u n try o f Bo rn o u , and in the Desert o f Seu :++ but these notices must be regarded as ex tremely v agu e . Certain it is, that i f the eastern waters o f N ig r itia do not run in to the • I am aware that Mr. Beaufoy was told that the river o f Bornou runs to the NW, into the Desert o f Bilma. ,[Af. Assoc. C^p. 142 : O. 215.] 4 D ’Anville, Mem. Inscrip. Voll xxvi. p. 67. t Edrisi, p. 13. § lb. p. 16. : || It appears that a report o f the same kind was communicated to Mr. Beaufoy; namely, that a branch of the Egyptian Kile runs into the Desert o f Bilma. (Af. Assoc. Qv P* 15^ - O. y, 209.) There does not, however, appear to be any foundation for believing that the Nile sends forth any branch above Egypt. .AH the notices of this kind may with more probability, be referred to a communication with the waters of Kauga. • * Mem. Inscrip. Vol. xxvi, p. 66. 44 Page 2, 255.
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