[173]A ridge stretches to the south, through the middle of South Africa, and forms an impenetrable barrier between the two coasts. M. Correa de Serra informs me, that the Portugueze in Congo and Angola, have never been able to penetrate to the coast of the Indian ocean.

Mr. Bruce learnt (Vol. iii. p. 668.) that a high chain of mountains from 6° runs southward through the middle of Africa. He supposes the gold of Sofala to be drawn from these mountains. (p. 669.)

[174]Circumstances have shewn, that it declines to the eastward also.

[175]“A wild expanse of lifeless sand and sky!” Thomson.

[176]Page 130.

[177]Water is found at the depth of a few feet, in Fezzan (Afr. Assoc. Q. p. 96: O. p. 146). The same is said by Pliny, concerning this quarter of Africa; lib. v. c. 5. But farther to the NW, on the edge of the Desert, and in the country of Wadreag in particular (Shaw, p. 135.), wells are dug to an amazing depth, and water mixed with fine sand, springs up suddenly, and sometimes fatally to the workmen. The Doctor tells us, that the people call this abyss of sand and water, “the sea below ground.” Exactly the same state of things exists in the country round London, where the sand has in several cases nearly filled up the wells. (See Phil. Trans. for 1797.) The famous well lately dug by Earl Spencer (at Wimbledon), of more than 560 feet in depth, has several hundred feet of sand in it.

[178]Ships that have sailed at a great distance from the African coast, opposite to C. Blanco and C. Bojador, have had their rigging filled with fine sand, when the wind blew strong off shore. The accumulation of the Bissago shoals may have been partly owing to this cause also. They occupy the position where a great eddy of the general southerly current takes place, between C. Verd and Sherbro’.

[179]This quality of the African Desert was familiarly known to Herodotus (Melpom. c. 181, et seq.) He knew also that there was salt in abundance in the northern parts. But as it would appear that the inhabitants in that quarter can furnish themselves with salt of a better quality from the sea, the mines are not wrought.

[180]Some writers have said, that there are gold mines in the neighbourhood of Mina, on the Gold Coast; others, that the gold is rolled down by the rivers to that neighbourhood. Both may be true.

It is difficult to conceive any other adequate cause, than the exchange of the gold of the inland countries, for the introduction of so vast a quantity of kowry shells, which are carried from Europe to the Coast of Guinea, and pass for small money in the countries along the Niger, from Bambara to Kassina, both inclusive.

I am informed from authority, that about 100 tons of kowries are annually shipped from England alone, to Guinea. These are originally imported from the Maldive islands into Bengal; and from Bengal into England. In Bengal, 2400, more or less, are equal to a shilling: and yet notwithstanding the incredible smallness of the denomination, some article in the market may be purchased for a single kowry. But in the inland parts of Africa, they are about ten times as dear; varying from 220 to 280. Mr. Beaufoy was told that in Kassina, they were at the rate of about 250: and Mr. Park reports, that they are about the same price at Sego: but cheaper at Tombuctoo, which is about the centre of the kowry country; dearer towards Manding, which is the western extremity of it. Hence they are probably carried in the first instance to Tombuctoo, the gold market: and thence distributed to the east and west. Their circulation seems to be confined between Bornou and Manding. In Bournou they have a coinage of base metal.

[181]African Assoc. Q. p. 176: O. p. 264.

[182]Mr. Park says that Kong signifies mountain, in the Mandinga language; which language is in use from the frontier of Bambara, to the western sea.

[183]Labat, Vol. iv. ch. 2.

[184]Bakui, and Herbelot; article Vankara.

[185]See Edrisi in particular, pages 11 and 12.

[186]Page 254.

[187]Edrisi, page 12.

[188]Mr. Bruce, Vol. iii. p. 647, says the same of the mountains of Dyre and Tegla, which are a continuation of the great belt, towards Abyssinia.

[189]Pliny, lib. xxxiii. c. 4.

[190]Melpomene, c. 196.

Dr. Shaw (p. 302) speaks of the same mode of traffic, at present, between the Moors and Negroes: whence the place of traffic ought to be very far removed from the Mediterranean. There is a similar story related by Cadamosta of the exchange of salt for gold, in Melli; and by Dr. Wadstrom on the windward coast of Guinea.

[191]See Euterpe, c. 32.; and Melpomene, c. 197.

[192]The common boundary of the Moors and Negroes, in the map of Mr. Park’s route, is described by a blue line.

[193]The Moors appear to be masters of the northern bank of the Senegal through the greatest part of its navigable course: the Foulahs of the southern bank.

[194]The Emperor of Morocco is said to have held, at one period, the sovereignty of some of the countries on the northern banks of the Senegal and Niger rivers. Labat, Vol. iii. p. 339, speaks of incursions made by his troops.

[195]Af. Assoc. Q. p. 126: O. p. 191.

[196]Page 4.

[197]The Arabs and Moors, call Nigritia by the general name of Soudan. By Belad Soudan, or the country of Soudan, Abulfeda includes all the known part of Africa, south of 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.)

[198]The Soluentii of Ptolemy may also be meant for the Solimani of Mr. Park.

[199]And it may also have been the scene of the traffic mentioned in page lxxxvii; as Dr. Wadstrom speaks of such a custom in this quarter, at the present day.

[200]Pliny (lib. v. c. 8.) also speaks of the Leucæthiopes, but seems to place them on this side of Nigritia. May it not be, that certain tribes of Foulahs were then established, as at present, along the Senegal river!