Note 50 — Chapter II
Reading edition
In the Proceedings of the African Association, (Q p. 122; O. 183, et seq.) the river of Kassina is described to run to the west, and to pass on to Tombuctoo; where it is said to be named Gnewa; possibly intended for Joliba, for the n and l are more commonly interchanged than the m and n.[a] It will very probably turn out that there is an error in the above statement, and that it runs from W to E in the country of Kassina as well as at Tombuctoo. It would seem also to be a larger river in the east, than in the west; a presumption in favour of an easterly course. But perhaps, the best argument is, that it certainly runs from Tombuctoo to the east. It must then either be one and the same river, or there must be a receptacle common to both, lying between Tombuctoo and Kassina! and we have not heard of any such. Much more will be said concerning this subject, in the latter part of the Memoir.
[a]Abderachman Aga calls it Gülbi; (or Julbee). Hartmann’s Edrisi, quarto ed. p. 22.
It is incumbent on me to acknowledge the obligations I owe to M. Hartmann, for his arrangement of the matter of Edrisi’s Africa; and for his invaluable Elucidations, and Notes.