the N ig e r , are Moorish states, though with the greatest proportion o f Neg ro subjects : so that the riv er may be considered as the boundary o f the two races in this quarter.* O f the countries between Houssa and Kassina we are ignorant. T h e Desert seems to approach v e r y near the river (Niger) in that quarter, whence a M o o r ish population may be inferred. South o f the river, we hear o f K a ffab a , G a g o , and other N e g ro countries; b u t without any distinct notices o f p os ition ; and beyon d these, Melli. Ka s s ina and B o rn o u , two great empires on the north o f the river, appear to divide the largest portion o f the remaining space, to the borders o f N u b ia ; and extend a great way to the n o rth; this region b e in g composed o f Desert and habitable country, in te rm ix ed ; but perhaps, containing the largest proportion o f the latter. In both these empires, the sovereigns are Mahomedans, b u t the b u lk o f their subjects are said to adhere to their ancient worship; that is to say, the low e r orders are, almost universally, N e g ro e s . + F rom what has appeared, perhaps the boundary o f Nigritia, as it respects the N e g ro population, may be expressed generally, and with a few e x c ep tions, as follows: beginning from the west, the extent upwards o f the navigable co u rse o f the Senegal river, generally— thence, a line drawn to S illa ; from S illa to T om b u c to o , Houssa, and Berissa, alon g the riv er N ig e r ; and thence through A so u d a , Kan em, and K u k u , to D o n g o la , o n the N ile . L e o ,J enumerates 12 states, o r kingdoms o f Nigritia : but amongst these, h e includes G u a la ta , a tract on ly 300 miles S. o f the r iv e r N u n : as also, C a n o (G an a t), adjacent to F e z z a n ; and N u b ia . Kassina, B o rn o u , and T om b u c to o , are included, o f course, f * The Emperor o f Morocco is said to have held, at one period, the sovereignty of some o f the countries on the northern banks o f the Senegal and Niger rivers. Labat, Vol. ill. p. 339, speaks of incursions made by his troops. f A'f. Assoc. Q^p. 126: O .p .19 1 . t Page 4 . § The Arabs and Moors, call N i g r i t i a by the general name of S o u d a n . By Belad Soudan, or the country o f Soudan, Abulfeda includes all the known part o f Africa, south o f the Great Desert, and Egypt. With him, Soudan is the southern quarter of the globe. D’Herbelot also allows it a wide range. Affnoo is another term for Nigritia, in use amongst the natives themselves. (See also Proceedings Af. Assoc. Q^p. 164: O. p. 246. T h e kingdom o f the Foulahs b e fo re m entioned, situated between the upper part o f the Gambia river, and the coast o f Serra L eon a , and along the R io G ran de , has also a Mahomedan sovereign, b u t the b u lk o f the p eop le appear to be o f the ancient religion. I t has been already said, that a lthough they are a black people, they are less b la c k than the Negroes, g enera lly, and have neither crisped hair, nor thick lips : as also that they have a language distinct from the Mandinga. F rom these circumstances added to that o f situation, they appear clearly to be the Leuccetbiopes o f Ptolemy and P lin y . T h e former p laces them in the situation o ccupied b y the F o u la h s ; that is, in the parallel o f 9 degrees north; having to the north, the mountains o f Ryssadius, which separate the courses o f the Sta cb ir and N ia rivers (G am b ia and R io Grande), and which therefore answer to the continuation o f the great belt o f high land, in o u r geography; in which there is, moreov er, another p oin t o f agreement, the Capbas o f P tolemy, being the C a f f aba o f the map. * P tolemy, b y the name, evidently meant to describe a people less b la c k than the generality o f the E th iopian s ; and hence it may b e gathered, that this nation had been traded with, and that some notices respecting it, had been communicated to him. I t may also be remarked, that the navigation o f H a n n o , terminated on this co a s t; p rob ab ly at Sherbro’ r iv e r , o r sound. A n d as this was also the term o f the kn owledge o f P to lemy , it may b e ju s tly suspected that this part o f the coast was described from Carthaginian materials, t T h o s e who have perused the Journ al o f Messrs, W a t t and Winterbo ttom, through the F o u lah coun try , in 1 7 9 4 , and re co lle c t h ow flattering a picture they g iv e o f the urbanity and hospitality o f the F oulahs, w ill be gratified on finding that this nation was known and distinguished from the rest o f the Ethiopians, at a remote period o f antiquity. J * The Soluentii of Ptolemy may also be meant for the Solimani o f Mr. Park. t And it may also have been the scene o f the traffic mentioned in page lxxxvii; as Dr. Wadstrom speaks of such a custom in this quarter, at the present day. 1 Pliny (lib. v. c. 8.) also speaks o f the Leuca.tbiopcs, but seems to place them on dbis side o f Nigritia. May it not be, that certain tribes o f Foulahs were then established, as at present, along the Senegal river!
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