_Cursory Observations_.
"The _Ludaia_, are not inhabitants of _Ludama_, they are a very
numerous and warlike tribe of Arabs, inhabiting the Sahara, of
which there are two or three emigrations or encampments in
different and distant parts of Sahara; the Emperor of Marocco has
some thousands of them in his army, and they are esteemed (next to
the negroes, called Abeed Seedy Bukaree) his best troops. See the
Map of the tracts from Fas and Arguin to Timbuctoo, facing page 1.
Lat. N. 24°. long. W. 3°.
"This serpent is the _Bûska_, described in Jackson's enlarged
Account of Marocco, &c. p. 109. Providence has afforded to man an
opportunity of evading the attack of this deadly animal; for when
it coils itself up, and by the strength of its tail darts forward
fifteen or twenty yards at once, the person attacked, by watching
vigilantly its motions, evades the attack, by moving only a short
distance from the right line, in which it is prepared to dart
510 forwards; neither can the _Bûska_ govern itself in the extent of
its movement, but necessarily goes as far as its strength will
permit, and then coils itself up again in a circular form, again
erects its head, and darts a second time to its object. I have
conversed with Arabs, who have been attacked by this monster, and
they have assured me, that, by vigilantly watching its motion, and
the direction of its head, when preparing to dart forward, they may
escape its attack.[297]
"It is not correct to assert that _Nasari is a general term_,
applied to infidels in Muhamed; it is applied to Christians only.
_Kaffer is the general term_ applied to all who have not faith in
the Arabian Prophet.[298]
"That which you call the Talk Tree, is the tree which produces the
Barbary gum; the name is _talh_.[299]"
[Footnote 297: Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 306.]
[Footnote 298: Ibid, p. 429.]
[Footnote 299: Ibid. 204.]
"The _Keydenah_.--This is the Sudanic name for the tree which
produces the Argan nut, or olive, the _kernel_ of which resembles a
bitter almond, and from _it_, not from the shell, they extract the
oil, so celebrated for frying fish, and for burning; a pint of
which will afford light as long as two pints of olive oil.
"The She plant, or properly Sheh is not wild thyme, nor does it
resemble it, it is the wormseed plant, the seed of which is an
511 article of exportation, from the ports of Marocco, The sheh
resembles the absynthum. The wild thyme is called _zatar_, also an
article of exportation from the ports of the Marocco empire.[300]
"The _Alsharra_ signifies the Book of Laws of Muhamed.[301]
"_Gebel Ramlie_ should be written _Jibbel Rummelie_, i.e. the Sandy
Mountain.[302]
"The Elwah [303]Elgarbie is inhabited by the Maggrebee Arabs. My
late friend, Muley Abd Salam, elder brother to Muley Soliman, the
reigning Emperor of Marocco, had a very large estate in this Wah,
called Santariah. In the 1793d year of the Christian era, he sent
his friend and servant Alkaid Muhammed ben Abd Saddack, late
governor of Mogodor, to effect the sale of this estate. He was
absent on this embassy two years and three months.[304]
"_Sheb_ is the Arabic for alum, the correct orthography is
_Shib_.[305]
"_Marybucks_ should be _Marabet_, i.e. Priests, or Holy
Muhamedans.[306]
"The primitive plough is used in all the African countries
inhabited by the Arabs, or their descendants; the negroes, however,
use the hoe." [307]
[Footnote 300: Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 312.]
[Footnote 301: Ibid, p. 334.]
[Footnote 302: Ibid, p. 398.]
[Footnote 303: Let the African traveller be careful to
pronounce these g's guttural (Arabic.)]
[Footnote 304: Ibid, p. 399.]
[Footnote 305: Ibid. ibid.]
[Footnote 306: Ibid. p. 225.]
[Footnote 307: Ibid. p. 227.]
512
"The Mouselmines is a French corruption of the term Muselman, i.e.
Mohamedans.
"Mongearts, i.e. Moguert, the g guttural.
"Ouadelim, i.e. Wooled Deleim, or the sons of Deemy.
"Labdessebah, i.e. Woled Abbusebah, 'the sons of Abbusebah.'[308]
"Wed de Non, i.e. Wedinoon.
"The herb, with a decoction of which they dye their nails and
hands, is called by the Arabs _El Henna_: it imparts a coolness and
softness to the hands, and diminishes the excessive perspiration
incident to warm climates.[309]
"Hooled ben Soliman ought to be Woled ben Soliman, 'the sons of the
sons of Soliman;' and Benioled, should be Ben El Waled, 'the sons
of Elwaled.'[310]
"The small beautiful species of deer, is the _El Horreh:_ it is an
inhabitant of the confines of the Saharah; it is said never to lie
down. It produces the anti-poison called bezoar stone, (called in
the Arabic _Bide El Horrek_, i.e. the testicle of the Horreh.) This
is an article of commerce at Santa Cruz, and Wedinoon. The back and
sides of the skins of these animals are of a red brown, and of a
vivid white underneath." [311]
[Footnote 308: Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 262.]
[Footnote 309: Ibid. p. 291.]
[Footnote 310: Ibid. p. 299.]
[Footnote 311: Ibid. p. 303.]
513
TO JAMES GREY JACKSON, ESQ.
Sir,
Edinburgh, May 3. 1818.
I have lately been favoured with two communications from you:--the
one a letter to Mr. Napier, editor of the Encyclopædia Britannica,
on the subject of the article _Africa_, of which I was the author,
and which Mr. Napier, therefore, put into my hands; the other, a
letter direct to myself, on the subject of my edition of "Leyden's
Discoveries in Africa." I fully intended to have answered them
before now, but the pressure of other business, with the wish to
bestow upon them the leisurely consideration which they merited,
has hitherto prevented me. I feel much gratified by the favourable
opinion which you express of what I have done on this subject, and
much obliged to you for your communications, and offers of further
information. I experienced very much the disadvantage arising from
a want of knowledge of the languages of North Africa, with which
you appear to have a _very extensive acquaintance. Indeed, several
of the etymologies which you have given, are very interesting_. I
was particularly pleased to receive that of the term _Ba Sea
Feena_, though I cannot conceal that it tends to strengthen the
doubts which I have entertained of its applying to the sea on the
Gold Coast. The distance, the direction southwards, the Christians,
the motion one way and another, and even the ships, are all
514 circumstances which would agree. There are arguments, however,
against it; and it is certain that Park did not so understand it.
Do you think there is any chance that the Bahr Soudan could be the
Gulf of Guinea?
If you are acquainted with any circumstances which could tend to
confirm or refute the narrative of Sidi Hamet, as given by Riley,
or throw light upon Riley's general credibility; or if you have
ever heard any report of such a city as _Wassanah_, I should feel
particularly obliged to you for communicating such information: and
whenever I find myself at a loss, I shall gladly avail myself of
the liberality with which you show yourself disposed to impart the
knowledge of which you have become possessed.
I shall communicate this letter to Mr. Napier; and it is but fair
to mention, that, from the circumstances already stated, I am
solely responsible for the too long delay which has taken place in
answering your letter to him, as well as that to myself.