[Footnote 246: Inserted in March, 1817.]
Sir,
London, Jan. 25. 1817.
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°.]
[Footnote 251: Vide Major Kennel's Map in the Proceedings of
the African Association, 8vo. edition, vol. i. page 209.]
[Footnote 252: Vide Jackson's Marocco, second or third edition,
page 312.]
Mr. Park's annotator, in the spirit of controversy with which he
appears to be endued, may say, the fact of this stream running to
445 the west towards Wangara, cannot be admitted, because Mr. Browne
saw a ridge of mountains extending in that direction; but Mr.
Browne did not ascertain that this was an uninterrupted ridge; the
river might therefore pass through some chasm similar to that which
I have seen in crossing the Atlas Mountains, or through some
intermediate plain.
The annotator further says[253], "It is needless to comment upon
such hearsay statements, received from an African traveller." This
assertion being calculated to impress on the public mind, that I
founded my hypothesis respecting the junction of the Niles of
Africa on the simple and single statement of one individual African
traveller; I feel it incumbent on me thus publicly to declare, that
_the junction alluded to is founded on the universal and concurrent
testimony of all the most intelligent and well informed native
African travellers_ (for the most part natives of Sudan), not one
of whom differed in this opinion, but unanimously declared it to be
an uncontroverted fact, that the waters of the Nile of Egypt joined
the waters of the Nile el Abeed, which passes near Timbuctoo to the
east; and that there exists, without a doubt, a water communication
between Cairo in Egypt, and Timbuctoo in Sudan. Now, if, as M. de
Bailly observes, "_la vérité se fait connaître par le concours des
446 témoignages_," it must be admitted, by men of liberal sentiments,
that it is somewhat more than a hearsay statement; and what better
foundation can there possibly be for the truth of any geological
fact, than the concurrent testimony of the best-informed natives of
the country described?
[Footnote 253: Vide Appendix, No. IV. to Park's Second Journey
page 115.]
With respect to precision being unfavourable to authenticity[254],
I consider this a new dogma; and if I were disposed to confute it,
(but it carries with it its own confutation,) I should point out
many hearsay evidences, precisely recorded in my Account of
Marocco, which have been confirmed already by Ali Bey (El Abassy)
and many others; but "_non est hic locus_."