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tails, and are known in Europe by the name of Barbary sheep; the Zahara species is much stronger than that of France; the animal has a longer body, and higher legs it is covered with hair instead of wool, and this hair is extremely thick, but not curled. These sheep are seldom of a white colour; all those which I ob, served were either black, brown, red, or yellow when they have been fed for some time, they become very fat, and their flesh is excellent.

"In their solitary residences, the Moors also raise a number of oxen, and, amongst the many which I saw, I distinguished two species; one was smaller than the common kind of European oxen, but in other respects exactly similar to this kind; these small oxen of the Desert are of the same form and colour as ours, but they are more gentle and active: the other species is large and strong, has a bunch upon its shoulders, and is in fact a degenerate species of the bison.

"These hunch-backed oxen are generally longer and higher than the French kind; they have a very extensive beard, which reaches almost to the ground; their horns are very fine, and almost come in contact at the points; but the distinctive character of this species is a large fleshy wen, which rises between the shoulders: this mass of flesh forms a projection of nearly a foot in height, and is considered a delicious morsel by epicures.

"These animals are very strong and docile: the Moors like to ride upon them, because their pace is gentle instead of a bit, they pass a cord of camel's hair through, the nostrils; to this substitute for a

bit, they fix smaller cords, which serve for reins, and which pass and hang over the bunch on the back of the animal: they saddle them in the same manner as a horse; and, without requiring much excitement or irritation, they go at a very quick rate, and travel twelve or fifteen leagues without being fatigued. They are susceptible of an attachment to the person who habitually attends and rides them, and are obedient to his commands: their flesh is good, tender, and succulent, and their produce is equal to that of oxen in general.

"The Moors pass over Africa with herds of four hundred oxen at a time, which they sell at upwards of a thousand leagues from their deserts. They perform these journies under the protection of the negro princes whose estates they travel through, but more particularly by the favour of their amulets, which are profusely distributed by their marabouths.

It is uncommonly interesting to see these savages, with their numerous herds, cross over the largest rivers in Africa: I twice enjoyed this sight; the first time at Albreda, in the river Gambra; the second at the isle of the Senegal. I shall proceed to give an account of the circumstances attending the passage of a herd of upwards of four hundred oxen, which was performed by the Moors between Albreda, situated on the right bank of the Gambra, and the village of Bahio, on the left bank the river is upwards of three thousand five hundred fathoms wide.

"The herd was collected on the shore to the south of Albreda, where the Moors let them rest for several days, without suffering

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them to graze. The conductors of this herd were a hundred and twenty in number, and were armed with muskets, sagayes, sabres, and poniards.

"When they had resolved on passing the river, they caused their oxen to be collected together, and suddenly made a great shouting: they then selected about forty animals from the herd, who were ́ destined to form the advancedguard, and were considered as if they possessed a charm: from this a select number were again chosen of those who were the best swimmers, and at the same time the strongest and most docile. Ten Moors were then chosen to direct this advanced-guard, and each of these conductors seemed to pay great attention in selecting the animal which was to convey him across the river.

"Nine of these leaders were from sixteen to eighteen years of age; one only was between forty and fifty. Across the horns of each ox they fixed a cord of camel's hair, about four feet in length; they then mounted their oxen in a standing posture, their feet firmly adhering to the projection on the back of the animal; they kept their bodies erect, but rather inclining backwards, and they supported themselves by means of the cord fixed to the animal's horns: on their heads they carried their arms and clothing.

"When every thing was thus arranged, the advanced-guard was conducted to the banks of the river; the leaders then made loud outcries, which were answered by the cattle of the advanced-guard, and the Moors and oxen of the main body also repeated them. Immediately afterwards, the ad

vanced-guard entered the river, excited by the voice of their conductors: the eldest of the Moors led the van; his ox made way through the current with great resolution; the other animals followed the chief of their file, being animated by the young Moors, who incessantly excited them by their expressions.

"When they were all immerged, the scene was truly singular; only the heads of the oxen were percep tible, and the upper part of the bodies of their conductors, who, inclining backwards, held firmly by the cords, which served them for support. The chief of the file continued to lead the van, and the others followed exactly in his track: they were three hours in passing the river, during which time the main body of the troop continued on the right bank, close to the river, with their eyes attentively fixed on those who were making the passage.

"When the advanced-guard had arrived at the opposite bank, the conductors suddenly gave three great shouts, which were answered with three bellowings by the oxen, and the noise was distinctly heard by the main body on the opposite bank.

"These signals were repeated by the Moors and oxen of the principal troop, and then one might easily see the impatience of the animals, who stedfastly looked on the advanced-guard that had safely arrived, and testified, by their motions, their desire of a junction.

"The principal troop was now collected, and several other oxen were chosen to lead the way; these chiefs of the body were twenty in number, and twenty Moors mounted the predestined animals,

in the same manner as their predecessors had mounted the advanced-guard.

"Five Moors placed themselves at the head of the troop, very near to each other, and repeated their shouts; the chiefs entered the river, all the oxen immediately followed, and were at once surrounded by the tide: the interest of this view was greater than the former, on account of the vast

number of cattle.

"Several of the young Moors Occasionally swam amongst the beasts, supporting themselves by their horns: this second passage lasted upwards of four hours.

"It is thus that the Moors and their oxen cross the largest rivers, and are never interrupted or impeded in the direction they are inclined to take.

"In the month of January 1787, I witnessed a similar passage, which was performed about

league above the mouth of the Senegal, and opposite the village of Babaghe, in a part of the ri ver where its width is upwards of two thousand fathoms.

"I shall terminate the accounts which I thought it necessary to give of the Moors of the Zahara, by observing that these savages, whose existence is scarcely known in Europe, naturally enjoy a degree of information, spirit, address, and authority, which renders them capable of every exertion that they may be inclined to undertake.

"Their language is a gross kind of Arabic; it seems, however, that its rudeness is rather in consequence of their pronunciation, than of the corruption of the language itself, since several of these Moors speak it in great purity, and make themselves perfectly understood among their own country

a men."

DESCRIPTION of the INHABITANTS and COUNTRY of BAMBOUK. [From the same Work.]

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bowels of the mountains of Ta

baoura.

"It is from the country of Bambouk that part of the gold is acquired, which is sold on the western coast of Africa, between the mouth of the Senegal and Cape Paimas. All that portion conveyed to Tombuctoo, Morocco, Fez, and Algiers, by the caravans that cross the great desert of the Zahara; almost all the gold which by way of Sennaar passes to Cairo and Alexandria; and, lastly, the prodigious quantity of this metal which is employed in the manufacture of earrings, bracelets, plates, and other ornaments for decking out the rich Mooresses and female negroes, and with which they also embellish their young favourite slaves, in all the countries of northern Africa, comprised between the twelfth and twentieth degree of north latitude, and between the first and twentieth degree of east longitude from the isle of Ferro, is also derived from

the same source.

"Hence there is every reason to believe that different parts of this territory contain important treasures, which have hitherto been but superficially explored; yet gold is every where perceptible, either in the form of sand, spangles, grains, particles, or it is contained in ferruginous pyrites, or in pieces of emery, with which it is always more or less combined.

"Notwithstanding the nume rous ablutions to which the soils of the mines are submitted, they still contain spangles of gold; in short, this metal appears with such constancy, and in such profusion, throughout the lands and waters of Bambouk, and more particularly in all the vallies of the mountains of Tabaoura, with which this ter

ritory is in a great degree covered, that the principle of these partial effusions must originate in the masses of the metal contained in heaps or veins throughout the secret caverns of these mountains.

"During my residence in Africa, I endeavoured to collect a number of accounts relative to the country of Bambouk; these I partly derived from the Moors and negroes of the Senegal and the Gambra, who had visited this rich country; from some of the English residing at the Gambra, whom I several times saw at Gilfrey, and who furnished. me with notes and a number of important documents relative to this part of Africa; and I also derived some informa tion as to Bambouk, from a work printed in England in the year 1782.

"Lastly, I received several memoirs of Messrs. Levens, David, Pelays, and Legrand; the two first of whom were directors of, and the others employed in a civil capacity under, the old India company in the Senegal. These gentlemen had visited the country of Bambouk during the years 1730, 1731, 1732, and 1744. The following is an abstract of these different accounts, notes, and memoirs, which may tend to throw some light on a very interesting country, little frequented by Europeans, as well as on the goldmines it contains.

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north latitude. This situation, in point of latitude, is rather different from that in the map of Dan ville; but I have taken it from the notes made by the English in the Gambra, and which agree with the map of major Rennell. The situation of this place, in point of longitude, is from seven degrees ten minutes, to eight degrees thirty minutes, east from the isle of Fer-ro. The river Felemeh, which empties itself into the Senegal at Tafalisga, forms the western boundary of this country.

"From the accounts I have collected, it appears, that what properly constitutes the country of Bambouk is only about thirty-six leagues in extent from north to south, and its average breadth is about twenty-eight leagues, giving a surface of rather more than a thousand square leagues.

"The country is divided into three kingdoms, or three territories, independent of each other; these are Bambouk, Satadou, and Konkoudou; each has its king or chief, but that part of the three kingdoms which particularly bears the name of Bambouk, gives to its king a certain superiority, though this is merely honorary. He is indebted for his rank to the importance of the country of Bambouk, to the rich gold-mine of Natakon, which is situated in his territory, and to the ancient prerogative of his throne. Hence the whole country has taken its name from the kingdom of Bambouk; and Satadou, and Konkoudou, though independent, yet come under this general denomination.

"The kingdom of Bambouk is

situated in a direction from southeast to north-east, on the two banks of the great Colez, or Rio d'Oro; that of Satadou is situated

to the south-west, and that of Konkoudou to the south-east; each of these three kingdoms contains gold-mines, but those of Bambouk are the richest, the most nu merous and celebrated, and are likewise best known.

"The mountains of Tabaoura, which form a chain from thirtyeight to forty leagues in extent, occupy a considerable portion of this country: these mountains have a number of rivulets, and two principal rivers, both of which bear the name of Colez..

"One of these rivers passes through the western part of the country of Bambouk, and the other through its eastern part. The Colez of the west, which also bears the name of Rio d'Oro, which it has received from the Portuguese, takes a course of nearly thirty direct leagues, and falls into the river of Felemeh, at the village of Naye Mow; the Colez of the east, which bears the name of Guyanon Colez, empties itself into the Senegal, at Bakaya koulou.

ON THE ORIGIN OF THE INHA, BITANTS OF BAMBOUK.

"The inhabitants of the country of Bambouk are of Manding origin. A colony of these people, so well known throughout Western Africa, conquered this rich country at a very ancient period, and anterior to the modern discovery of Africa by the Portuguese.

"The natural activity of the Manding nation, their intelligence, industry, and language, are all changed amongst the Mandings of Bambouk; the latter are torpid and lazy, improvident, inconsiderate, ignorant, and superstitious; their language is a very corrupted 4 4

mixture

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