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with five prongs. There are vast quantities of fish in the Niger, which, from their colour and size, are supposed to be salmon. Hadjee Benata states, that Timbuctoo is three times the size of Alexandria, and Hadjee Talub conceives the population to be about 60,000, and represents their character as being good and friendly, though he has heard of people being shot for theft, and of offenders being beat on the back with the skin of an animal, dried and cut into thongs. He says there are cocoa nuts and dates in abundance, and water melons in great plenty, but all grow wild, there being no garden whatever. The woods in the neighbourhood of Timbuctoo are described as being full of game, and lions and beasts of prey are often seen in the neighbourhood of the town. Hares and rabbits are in vast quantities; and the only dog they have is a greyhound, which is trained to catch these animals: cats they have none. The city is well supplied with every kind of provision, and it is customary for the natives to eat elephant's flesh, which animal is stated to exist in immense herds in the vicinity. Their flesh appeared palatable to Hadjee Talub, tasting like beef, but being quite white. They are ferocious animals, and will attack single persons, which obliges men who ride alone, to carry a horn to frighten them away. There are two methods of hunting the elephants, one by driving them into the river, where men, by swimming, get on their backs, and cut and destroy them: the other, by driving them into pits, and their butchering them: a few are tamed.

As to their commerce, it is carried on between Fez and Timbuctoo, generally by caravans, which leave the former place in March and October, as does that of Mecca at the same season. The articles which sell best at Timbuctoo, are salt, tobacco, European scarlet cloth, and English printed cottons, besides pistols

and guns. This traffic returns elephants' teeth, (of which two are so large as to be a load for a camel), slaves, and gold. The gold is generally in small bags, in each of which is an ounce, valued at fifteen dollars: it is extremely pure and fine: they have also pieces of gold weighing about five ounces. This precious article is very common, and comes from the south west, where it is found in great quantities. The negroes wear bracelets and other ornaments of this metal, and Hadjee has presented Captain Dundas with some gold articles, consisting of part of a necklace, a pair of ear-rings, and some braids for the hair, similar to the filagree work of the Archipelago the Eastern Seas; which he states, that the workmen manufactured as they do in Java and Sumatra, in the house of their employer, by whom they are hired like journeymen. The price of a male slave is from sixteen to twenty dollars.

He speaks of a tribe called Shultahs, who are a savage race, living in leather tents, and of a warlike and brave spirit. They dress with a turban, and place it in many folds round their heads and face, so as to project a great way, serving as a guard, and leaving only the eye uncovered. They are armed with a long sword, sharp on both sides, though some of them carry a javelin. For defence, they have a shield made of leather, about five feet long and four broad, which covers their whole persons. Their dress consists of a blue shirt and white trowsers. He represents the women as being very fat, and having a protuberance behind like the Hottentot women, of whom we have heard so much. The Shultahs receive a certain tribute from the negroes of Timbuctoo, and never cross the river. During the Summer, they remain two days' journey to the east, but in winter come close to the city. Their women perform all the agricultural labours in the field.

We made inquiries respecting the caravans from Fez to Timbuctoo, and from Timbuctoo in various other directions. He says he travelled by the regular caravan in three months and ten days from Fez to Timbuctoo, but the year after, he went the same journey with a guide and two guards in twenty-nine days, on a herrie, performing four days' journey in one. There is no want of water during the winter time; but hordes of Arabs attack travellers at that season. The herrie is mentioned as being the fleetest animal that can be conceived; it is like a dromedary, but is as superior in speed to the generality, as a race horse is to a cart horse.

There runs a tradition that there was at one time a regular caravan from Timbuctoo direct to Cairo, but the distracted state of the country has of late rendered it so unsafe, as to prevent it altogether. Indeed, as two Shultahs accompanied the caravan from Fez to Mecca, having come from Timbuctoo for that purpose, Captain Dundas thinks, in which Hadjee Talub agrees with him, that there is now no direct communication between that city and Cairo. With respect to intercourse toward the east and south-east, our traveller speaks of Housa being a considerable city, but at such a distance from Timbuctoo, that the latter city is only half way between it and Fez. It is described to be a place of great traffic, where the cloth used by the inhabitants of Timbuctoo is manufactured. Neither he nor Hadjee Benata know any thing of Wassana, although they are acquainted with a large place, twenty days' journey south-east from Timbuctoo, called Massana. Indeed, the latter states, that his mother came from thence. Beyond this place, to the south-east, are a people who eat their prisoners.

During our various conversations, Hadjee Talub mentioned, that eleven years ago, in 1807, when at

Timbuctoo, he heard of two white men, who came from the sea, having been near that city. This was the year before he arrived at Timbuctoo, and he understood that the white men sold beads, as they had no money to purchase grain. He adds, that they went down the Nile to the eastward, and that general report stated, that they had died of the climate. This appeared to captain Dundas and myself to allude to, and certainly all circumstances tend to prove, that these persons were Mr. Park and Lieutenant Martyn, who would have arrived there about that period. However, the pacific conduct and friendly intercourse mentioned by Hadjce Talub, disagrees with the journal of Amadi Fatouma, who speaks of hostility taking place off Timbuctoo, which city is not on the Niger; and in what regards the fate of these gentlemen, they differ as to the mode of their death.

It was natural that we should attempt to ascertain if it was practicable for a Frank to pass from Fez to Timbuctoo, and if he thought the Emperor of Morocco would assist the views of any Englishman in reaching that city, which he answered with the greatest confidence in the affirmative. As to any danger with the caravan, he expresses à conviction that there is not the slightest; but singly, he thinks, that great risks would be hazarded. I further asked him, whether, if duly rewarded, he would accompany me to Timbuctoo, to which he assented with the utmost readiness; and added, that we could reach that city in forty-seven days from Fez on horse back, and that he would forfeit his life, if he did not bring me back safe.

I conceive from this, from the universal renown of our nation, and from the friendly terms on which we stand with all the world, that a British agent properly accredited, and his objects fairly stated, namely, com

merce and rational curiosity, could not fail of being not only.safe, but well received, and put in a situation to solve the great geographical problem of the course and termination of the Niger.

A clergyman being on the road to his country living, (to which he pays an annual visit) was stopped by a friend, who asked him, where he could be going so far from town?" Like other poor people," replied he, "to my parish."

Speaking of Sir Hudson Lowe, Buonaparte lately observed, "He is the most ungrateful of men; had it not been for me, nobody would have known him."

The governor of Ceylon, (General Brownrigg) having at length restored peace to the island, had issued several proclamations respecting the future government of the Candian territories; one of which contains the following clause: "It is also directed, that on entering the hall of audience, every person shall make obeisance to the portrait of his Majesty, there suspended and as well there as in any other courts of justice to the presiding authority."

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A witty Paradox.

A Gentleman possessing much humour, who resides in a sea-port, that flourishes in seasons of national hostility, but languishes when the sword is sheathed, was asked some time since this interesting question; "Sir, do you think we shall have a war?" To this he replied, "I believe not; yet I am afraid we shall have no peace until we have a War."

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