7B Oripjn of the As/tantees^ 



to have reached the Niger, but to have rested in their progress 

 on the northern frontier of the negro kingdom of Asbex* 



As late even as the present time, I found a kingdom, called 

 Takima, on the northern frontier of Ashantee, and another 

 called Tahkema, was laid down by the Moors (who furnished 

 me with the MSS. charts,) between Timbuctoo anjl Fezzan. 

 The Fantees have still a tradition of their coming from Takima. 

 The expedition of Cornelius Balbus (the last Roman general 

 who had the honour of a triumph,) who reached the Niger, and 

 marched for some time on its northern bank, (apparently where 

 the modern negro kingdoms of Noofee, Yaoora, and Fillani, 

 are now situated,) must doubtless have disturbed many of the 

 colonies and aborigines, and induced movements to the south 

 of the Niger. The previous expedition of Suetonius Paulinus, 

 (who seems to have passed near where Park understood the 

 source of the Niger to be, into the country of the Perorsi, who 

 are placed by Ptolemy between the Gambia and the coast,) 

 must have also contributed to these secondary movements of 

 the Ethiopians. M. La Traille, of the Institute of France, did 

 me the honour to read to me his objections to the alleged extent 

 of this expedition, in a MS. he is about to publish ; but I have 

 since been informed by Major Rennell, that it appears from the 

 artless and consistent narrative of Scott, the English sailor, 

 (who was, undoubtedly, in Major Rennell's opinion, carried 

 across the lake Dibbir, and whose narrative is about to be pub- 

 lished,) that the Sahara, instead of being a continued ocean of 

 sand, is crossed by a belt of firm land, equal to nearly two- 

 thirds of the whole extent. This materially diminishes the 

 difficulties M. La Traille has ingeniously opposed to the ex- 

 pedition of Suetonius Paulinus. 



Some may prefer the opinion, that a part of the numerous 

 emigrants and deserters from Egypt, may have penetrated as 

 far westward as Ashantee, as it will explain the coincidence 

 of manners and superstitions equally well ; but the identity of 

 many of their more extraordinary customs with those of the 

 Abyssinians, and their own traditions of emigration, incline 

 me to believe that they were once nearer each other. 



