The Houses He Describes As Built Of Slabs Of Salt, Roofed With
Camels' Hides.
After other twenty days he reached Tashila, three days'
journey from which he entered a dreary desert, where was neither
sustenance nor water, but only plains and hills of sand.
Ten days brought
him to Abu Latin, a large commercial town much frequented by merchants.
This place Mr. Murray conjectures to have been Walet, the only large city
in that quarter.
In twenty-four days Ibn Batuta reached Mali, which it has been found
impossible to identify with any modern city. He found a haughty potentate
residing there, whose subjects paid him the greatest deference,
approaching prostrate to the throne, and casting dust upon their heads.
The trees in this neighbourhood were of immense bulk; and in the hollow
cavity of one he saw a weaver carrying on his occupation. Near this he
saw the Niger, but conjectured it to be the Nile, and supposed it to flow
by Timbuctoo, Kakaw, (Kuku), Yuwi, and thence by Nubia to Egypt.
Leo Africanus penetrated into the interior of Africa about two centuries
after Ibn Batuta. From his description, it would appear that the aspect
of Central Africa had considerably changed during this interval.
Timbuctoo was a powerful and opulent kingdom; and Gago (evidently the
Eyeo of Clapperton), and Ghinea, (probably the Jenne of Park), were
flourishing cities. The merchants of Timbuctoo were opulent, and two of
them were married to princesses. Science and literature were cultivated,
and manuscripts bore a high price. The king was wealthy, and maintained
an army of 3000 horse, and a large body of infantry. His courtiers shone
resplendent with gold; his palace, and several of the mosques, were
handsome edifices of stone; but his subjects dwelt in oval huts, formed
of stakes, clay, and reeds.
From this period till the formation of the African Association in 1788,
no certain information was obtained concerning Central Africa. While
British enterprise and courage had made most important discoveries in
every other quarter of the world, the ignorance which prevailed
concerning Africa was felt to be most discreditable. A few
public-spirited individuals, desirous of wiping away this stigma, formed
themselves into an Association, and subscribed the requisite funds for
the purpose of sending out intelligent and courageous travellers upon
this hazardous mission. The management was intrusted to a committee,
consisting of Lord Rawdon, afterwards Marquis of Hastings, Sir Joseph
Banks, the Bishop of Landaff, Mr. Beaufoy, and Mr. Stuart.
The first individual whom they employed was Mr. Ledyard, the greater part
of whose life had been spent in travelling; he had circumnavigated the
globe along with Captain Cook, and had resided for a number of years
among the American Indians. Oh his return he presented himself to Sir
Joseph Banks, who was at that time anxiously looking out for a fit person
to be sent out under the auspices of the Association. He immediately saw
that Ledyard was a suitable person for them, and introduced him to Mr
Beaufoy, who was much struck with his resolute and determined appearance.
When Ledyard was asked when he could be ready to depart, he replied,
"to-morrow!" Soon after he sailed for Alexandria, intending to proceed
from Cairo to Sennaar, and thence to traverse the breadth of the
continent. While at Cairo, he sent home some excellent observations
concerning Egypt; and announced that his next communication would be
dated from Sennaar. But tidings of his death soon after reached England.
It appeared that some delays in the starting of the caravan which he was
to have accompanied, working on his impatient and restless spirit, had
brought on a bilious distemper, to check which he had applied improper
remedies at the outset, so that the disorder cut him off in spite of the
assistance of the most skilful physicians in Cairo.
The next traveller whom the Association engaged was Mr. Lucas. When a boy,
he had been sent to Cadiz, to be educated as a merchant. On his return he
was taken prisoner by a Sallee rover, and remained three years in
captivity at Morocco. He was afterwards appointed vice-consul at Morocco,
and spent there sixteen years, during which he acquired a great knowledge
of the chief African languages. On his return to England, he was made
oriental interpreter to the British court. Upon his expressing a desire
to set out on a journey in furtherance of the objects of the Association,
his Majesty not only granted his request, but also promised to continue
his salary as oriental interpreter during his absence. He set out by
Tripoli, and obtained from the Bey some promise of assistance. He
likewise made an arrangement with two Shereefs, or followers of the
Prophet, whose persons are held sacred, to join a caravan with which they
travelled. He went with them as far as Mesurata; but the Arabs of the
neighbourhood being in a state of revolt, the party could obtain neither
camels nor guides. Mr. Lucas therefore returned to Tripoli without making
further efforts to penetrate into the interior. He, however, obtained
from one of the Shereefs some particulars respecting the countries to the
south of Tripoli, and a memoir from his notes was drawn up by Mr. Beaufoy,
which, though in many respects imperfect and erroneous, nevertheless
threw a little additional light upon the condition of Africa. No correct
information was obtained concerning the Niger.
Enough of knowledge, however, was possessed to show that the districts
along the Gambia, stretching into the interior, afforded the most direct
method of reaching the Niger, and the countries through which it rolled.
Accordingly this was the route taken by the next adventurer, Major
Houghton, who seemed qualified for the task by the most ardent courage,
and by a considerable acquaintance with the manners both of the Moors and
negroes during his residence as consul at Morocco, and afterwards as
fort-major at Goree. But it would appear that this gallant officer was
strikingly deficient in the prudent and calculating temper which such an
arduous journey demanded.
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