INTRODUCTION. XV 
magnitude, therefore, no objection could be urged to its 
identity with the Niger. 
Many other objections, however, were started against 
this hypothesis, and in particular the three following, 
namely, 
1. The obstruction of the Kong mountains, which, uni- 
ting with the Gibbel Komri, are supposed to extend in one 
unbroken chain across the continent. 2. The great length of 
its course, which would exceed 4000 miles; whereas the 
course of the Amazons, the greatest river in the world, is 
only about 3500 miles. 3. The absence of all traces of 
the Mahommedan doctrines or institutions, and of the 
Arabic language, on the coast where the Zaire empties 
itself into the sea. 
The first objection is wholly gratuitous, as the existence 
of this chain of mountains has not been ascertained, nor 
is it easy to conjecture on what grounds it has been ima- 
gined. Park saw to the southward of his route, at no 
great distance from the sea coast, the peak of the cluster 
of mountains called the Kong, out of which the Niger, the 
Senegal, and the Gambia, take their rise. The Mountains 
of the Moon have been placed towards the central parts 
of Africa ; but if Bruce visited that branch of the Nile, 
which is said to rise out of these mountains, (which is more 
than doubtful,) they are actually not further removed from 
the eastern, than those of the Kong are from the western 
coast. But by what authority they are united, and 
stretched completely across the continent, like a string of 
beads, it would be difficult we believe for our modern ge- 
graphers to point out. ‘There is evidence however to the 
contrary. All the Haoussa traders who have been ques- 
