12 discoveries in Africa . Sept, 5. 



Beyond this district, which is oiilj habitabie in 

 those spots where springs abound on. the surface, and 

 where of course the sands are either entirely inter- 

 rupted, or of small depth, and which we have compa- 

 red to islands, it now appears, that another district, 

 consisting of firmer materials, begins in which 

 mountains arise in various directions,, that produce 

 rivers of great magnitude, which not only add ferti- 

 lity to the country, but facilitate the commerce of 

 those nuijTierous tribes of people v:\\a inhabit their 

 borders. This fertile zone, besides smaller streams^ 

 is watered by the Senegal, the Gambia, the Niger,, 

 and the Nile. Part of this district forms the sub- 

 ject of the present publication ; and the discoveries 

 respecting it are already great ar-d highly interest- 

 ing ; but hitherto only a s. nail part of it has been 

 imperfectly explored. The internal parts of that 

 immense tract of country, which extends from the 

 Niger southward to CaiTraria, remains yet to be in- 

 vestigated, and will furnifh many future memoirs. 

 from a society wliich promises to add much more 

 to the sum total of human knowledge,, than was ex- 

 pected when it was first instituted. May they con- 

 tinue steady in tiieir pursuits,. and be as fortunate 

 as they hitherto have been, in finding men calculated 

 for engaging in the arduous tafk of discovery ! 



The public have already heard some surmises of 

 the existence of a large town on the banks of the 

 Niger, called Houlsa, v.hich seemed to be so woader- 

 . ful, and it appeared so impafsible that a place o.i 

 such magnitude as it was represented to be, could 

 have so long been totally unknown in Europe, if 



