The town is once and a half the size of Tetuan[21], and contains,
besides natives, about 10,000[22] of the people of Fas and Marocco.
The native inhabitants of the town of Timbuctoo may be computed at
40,000, exclusive of slaves and foreigners. Many of the merchants
who visit Timbuctoo are so much attached to the place that they
cannot leave it, but continue there for life. The natives are all
blacks: almost every stranger marries a female of the town, who are
so beautiful that travellers often fall in love with them at first
sight.
[Footnote 21: That is about four miles in circumference. Tetuan
contains 16,000 inhabitants; but, according to this account,
Timbuctoo contains 50,000, besides slaves, a population above
three times that of Tetuan: now, as the houses of Timbuctoo are
more spacious than those of Tetuan, it is to be apprehended
that Shabeeny has committed an error in describing the size of
Timbuctoo.]
[Footnote 22: Who go there for the purposes of trade.]