Note 224 — Chapter XIII

An African manuscript, written by Seedi Mohammed ben Amran Soudanie, who, however, I do not quote as an author of the first respectability, has the following passage, which I have translated for the curious reader. “Respecting the Neele it has been ascertained by various travellers, that it hath (besides many inferior) two principal sources, one of which latter is the larger source, and rises at the foot of the Jibbel Kumri, (i.e. a chain of mountains which extend from east to west across Africa, passing through lat. N. 10°) north of Genowa (Guinea), where it forms a lake or swamp, out of which proceeds another river, which, passing N.W. through Soudan discharges itself near Asenagha (Senegal), in the El Bahar Kabeer (id est, the Western or Atlantic ocean); the larger source proceeds northward, and entering the country of Bambara, takes an eastern direction, and passing through the city of Segoo, Jinnée, and Kabra near Timbuctoo, it continues its course through Wangara; between the two latter cities, it receives from the south two auxiliary streams of considerable magnitude, which increase it so that the whole flat country of Wangara is one immense morass, formed by the overflowing of the waters: one of these auxiliary streams falls into the Neele 10 erhellat (i.e. 10 days journey) east of Timbuctoo; the other at Wangara, and the whole body of accumulated water hence, aptly denominated the Neele El Kabeer (the Great Nile), proceeds eastward till it communicates with the Neele Masser (the Nile of Egypt); the distance between the source of the greater Nile and its junction with the Nile of Egypt, is 99 erhellat of continual travelling.”