At The Distance Of Two Days More, The River
Spreads Into A Considerable Lake, Called Dibbie (Or The Dark Lake),
Concerning The Extent Of Which All The Information I Could Obtain
Was That In Crossing It From West To East The Canoes Lose Sight Of
Land One Whole Day.
From this lake the water issues in many
different streams, which terminate in two large branches, one
whereof flows
Towards the north-east, and the other to the east; but
these branches join at Kabra, which is one day's journey to the
southward of Timbuctoo, and is the port or shipping-place of that
city. The tract of land which the two streams encircle is called
Jinbala, and is inhabited by negroes; and the whole distance by land
from Jenne to Timbuctoo is twelve days' journey.
From Kabra, at the distance of eleven days' journey down the stream,
the river passes to the southward of Houssa, which is two days'
journey distant from the river. Of the farther progress of this
great river, and its final exit, all the natives with whom I
conversed seemed to be entirely ignorant. Their commercial pursuits
seldom induce them to travel farther than the cities of Timbuctoo
and Houssa, and as the sole object of those journeys is the
acquirement of wealth, they pay little attention to the course of
rivers or the geography of countries. It is, however, highly
probable that the Niger affords a safe and easy communication
between very remote nations. All my informants agreed that many of
the negro merchants who arrive at Timbuctoo and Houssa from the
eastward speak a different language from that of Bambarra, or any
other kingdom with which they are acquainted But even these
merchants, it would seem, are ignorant of the termination of the
river, for such of them as can speak Arabic describe the amazing
length of its course in very general terms, saying only that they
believe it runs TO THE WORLD'S END.
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