179^' discoveries in Africa. I^ 



such a place there had been, that its existence wa« 

 doubted by many. It now appears undeniable that 

 such a place does act:uallj exist. The circumstances 

 that have led to this conclusion, and the steps that 

 have been taken for extending our discoveries still 

 farther in Africa, will be learnt from tlie following 

 abstract of tJie puhllcatlon of the society, which lliaU 

 b'i given, as much as our limits will admit, in the, 

 words of the ingeniovs compiler of this account. 



An Arab called Shabeni had, two years ago,, 

 given to the society an account of an empire on the 

 banks of the Niger, vvhlch strongly attracted the 

 attention of the society. He said ' that the popu- 

 lation of HoussA, its capkal, where he resided two 

 years, was equalled only (as far as his knowledge 

 extended) by that of Londoui and Cairo : and in his 

 rude unlettered way, he described the government 

 as monarchical, yet not unlii\ilted ; its justice as se- 

 vere, but directed by written laws ; and the. rights 

 of landed property as guarded by the institution of 

 certain hereditary officers, whose functions appear to 

 be similar to those of the Canongoes of Hindostan, 

 and whose important and complicated duties Imply; 

 an unusual degree of civilization ands refinement. 



' For the probity of their merchantrs, he exprefsed 

 the highest respect; but remarked, with indigna- 

 tion, that the women were admitted into :Jociety, and 

 that the honour of the hulhand was often i:isecure. 



' Of their written alphabet he knew no more than 

 that it was perfectly difi'erent from the Arabic and 

 the Hebrew characters ; but he described the art of 

 writ'ng as comtno:i ia HouGa. And when he acted 



