Scienlific Reviews. 183 



with the narrative of Caille ; it is in consequence rejected by Mr. 

 Jomard, who states that it is little believed in the author's own 

 country. 



The words published by well informed travellers, as Syme, Bow- 

 dich, and others, as belonging to the vocabulary of the Timbuctoo 

 language, have no conformity with those given by Caille. 



Robert Adams described the river as coursing two miles from 

 the town, between two mountains to the south-west, and about 

 3-4ths of a mile broad. Caille did not see these mountains. Three 

 mosques have arisen in the town since Adams' visit, for he saw 

 none. Adams saw houses of the most simple construction ; some 

 were built of clay, and straw or grass, and others of wood or of 

 earth. Mr. Caille found them built of brick. Adams saw nume- 

 rous elephants, Caille none, 



Riley saw a town built of stone, of earth, and reeds, at whose 

 foot passed a little river, then dry, and another of considerable size 

 coursed to the east, one hour's ride or two hour's walk from the 

 city. He calls it the Zolibib. 



The information given of the countries traversed by Major Ped- 

 dle and Captain Campbell, as well as Watt and Winterbottom, 

 correspond in many particulars with the accounts of Mr. Caille. 



Major Laing, after having explored Timannia, Kouranko, and 

 Soulimana, and determined the position of Timbo, of Falaba, and 

 the sources of the Mongo and the Rokello, came into the very vici- 

 nity of the long sought for sources of the Dhioliba or Niger. He 

 assigned the. position and the elevation above the sea of Mount 

 Loma, from whence this great river takes its origin ; and he first 

 traced on the map the first part of its course towards the north for 

 an extent of about twenty-five leagues. 



The French traveller first reached the Dhioliba at Couroussa, 

 and observed its direction. The ascertained points of Timbo and 

 the Dhioliba, were placed by Jomard in their relation to the ob- 

 servation of Caille. In the construction of the new itinerary, the 

 gap was filled up, and the first thirty-five or forty leagues of the 

 course of this great river traced on the map. 



The situation of Timbuctoo on the map, is one of great singula- 

 rity. It is made to occupy the centre of that tract, which is gene- 

 rally left for the Desert oj Sahara, in large letters. It is at once 

 moved to the north and to the east, the Dhioliba having been fol- 

 lowed in that direction by Caille. The reasons for our placing it 

 in a diflferent latitude, appear very evident to Mr. Jomard, who 

 sees the important relations which such a town might have with 

 our establishments on the western coast, and with any large river 

 emptying itself into the Bight of Benin. 



Watt and Winterbottom, in 1794, had learnt at Timbo, that 

 there was four months' journey to Timbuctoo, and on the road the 

 towns of Bella, Bouria, Manda, Sego, Sousundou, and Genah, 

 were to be met with. Accordingly, we have on the map of Caille 

 the same names frenchified, as Baleya, Boure, Amana, Sansand- 



