TO THE EDITOR OF THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE.[246]
Having read some annotations, in the Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, by Mungo Park, in 1805, which are calculated to persuade some persons, that my Account of the Interior of Africa is not altogether authentic, I feel myself called upon to offer some cursory observations to the public, in refutation of those aspersions. (Vide Appendix, No. IV. to Mungo Park's Second Journey, in 1805, pages 114. and 115.)
Although I assert, on the concurrent testimony of the best informed and most intelligent natives of Sudan, that there exists a [247]water communication between Timbuctoo and Cairo, I do not maintain that the [248]Nile of Sudan falls into the [249]Nile of Egypt, but that it hath a communication with it, or with some river 444 that connects itself with the Nile of Egypt, which opinion is confirmed by Mr. Hornemann, on African authority.
[Footnote 247: Vide Jackson's Marocco, second or third edition, page 310.]
[Footnote 248: (_Nile el Kabeer_) the Great Nile, (_Bahar el Abeed_, or _Nile el Abeed_) the Nile of Slaves or Negroes, (_Nile Sudan_) the Nile of Sudan or Nigritia, are the various names applied to the river that passes by Timbuctoo, and through the interior of Sudan, from west to east.]
[Footnote 249: _Nile Masser_ is the name applied to the Nile of Egypt.]
It is very probable that this junction is formed by a stream that flows westward towards Wangara through the country called [250] Bahar Kulla, and Lake Dwi, from the source of the Nile of Egypt, or from that part of the Jibbel Kumri, or Lunar Mountains, which form the southern boundary of Donga.
If this be so, the junction of the Nile el Abeed, of Timbuctoo, and the Bahar el Aheäd of Donga[251], (or more properly the Bahar el Abeed,) is established, and the water communication between Timbuctoo and Cairo is proved; admitting, however, that the Negroes reported by me to have performed the[252] voyage by water, took their boat or canoe ashore, to ascend the cataracts, in the country between Wangara and Donga.
[Footnote 250: _Bahar Kulla_ is an Arabic term, signifying the sea altogether, implying an alluvial country, (probably forming a part of the mediterranean sea of central Africa). See Major Rennel's Map in the Proceedings of the African Association, vol. i. 8vo. page 209. lat. N. 10°, long. 18°.]