831 



SOODAN. 



SOOLOO ARCHIPELAGO. 



There are several other branches of useful manufactures. Funda, the 

 capital of the kingdom of Funda, is situated near the banks of the 

 river Shary; it contains about 30,000 inhabitants, and- has some 

 manufactures of cotton cloth. 



In the central districts of this region we are only acquainted with 

 the countries of Zegzeg, Kano, Kashna, and Houssa proper. Zegzeg 

 apparently extends between 8* and 11 E. long., 9 and 12 N. let. 

 In this country is the town of Kuttup, near 9 40' N. lat, which 

 comprises nearly 500 small villages, almost adjoining each other, 

 and occupying nearly the whole of a vast and beautiful plain. A con- 

 siderable traffic is carried on here in slaves and bullocks. Eggebee (near 

 9 E. long., 10 50* N. lat) is a very large and extremely neat town, 

 surrounded with a high wall, and situated in the centre of a fine and 

 highly cultivated plain. Zaria, or Zegzeg, the capital of this country, 

 is inclosed by good walls, and contains a population of between 40,000 

 and 50,000, but a large portion of the area is occupied by swamps, 

 corn-fields, and green plot*. Rice of the finest quality is raised in the 

 neighbourhood, and Bent to distant countries. North of Zegzeg is 

 Kano. Among the most remarkable places is Baebaegie (11 84' 

 N. lat, 9 IS' E. long.), which is built in the midst of a large plain, 

 and contain* about 20,000 or 25,000 inhabitants, who are all engaged 

 in trade. East of it is the town of Girkwa, a large place ; and north- 

 west of Oirkwa is Kano, the capital of the country, and, as it appears, 

 the moat commercial town of Central Africa. It contains about 40,000 

 inhabitant*, of whom more than one-half are slaves. During the dry 

 months this place is resorted to by numerous travellers from all parts 

 of Africa, from the Mediterranean and the Mountains of the Moon, 

 and from Sennaar and Ashantee. The city is of an irregular oval 

 dupe, about 15 miles in circumference, and surrounded by a clay wall 

 30 feet high, with a dry ditch in the inside, and another on the out- 

 aide. Kano is both a commercial and a manufacturing town, and the 

 division of labour is carried to a considerable extent Within the 

 walls of the city is a separate district or village for blind people, who 

 are maintained at the expense of the government 



In the country of Kashna are the large towns of Jaza, Ratah, and 

 Kutri, but the largest is the capital, also called Kashna, which is an 

 important commercial town. 



In Honssa proper, which lies west of Kashna, is the Urge town of 

 Zirmie, and the capital, Sackatoo, or Sockatoo, which is built on the 

 banks of the river Zirmie, which runs south-west, and is said to join 

 the Qnorra. Sackatoo was built about the year 1805, by Danfodio, 

 the FelliUh conqueror. The houses are laid out in regular well-built 

 streets, and come close up to the walls. The walls are between 20 

 sad SO feat high, and hare twelve gates, which are regularly closed at 

 sunsst The inhabitants are principally FelliUhs, and possess 

 numerous slaves, of whom a considerable number are employed in 

 manufacturing cotton stuns, and in *""'"g and iron- work. The 

 commerce of Sockatoo is important 



IV. Nearly the whola of the alluvial plain of Central Sudan con- 

 htittites the kingdom of Borneo, or may be considered as an appendage 

 to it [Boasoc.] It contains many towns, some of which are very 

 populous. The capital, Kouka, is only a few miles distant from the 

 banks of Lake Tchad. It is the residence of the sheik, and may hare 

 a population exceeding 10,000. The walls are well built of clay, and 

 the whole space inclosed by them is occupied with booses, but the 

 extensive market in the centra and some other open pUcee take up 

 about one-fourth of the area. Angornon, the largest and most popu- 

 lous place in Boroou, is likewise only a few miles from the Tchad. It 

 contains above SO. 000 inhabitants, but is a straggling place without 

 walla. It is the principal commercial town of the country, where the 

 caravans arriving from Fenan or from Kano dispose of their goods. 

 A few miles W. from Angornon is New Bimie, the residence of the 

 snltan, which contains about 10,000 inhabitant*. Farther south are 

 the towns of Dogoa, with 30,000 inhabitants, and AOkgay, with 20,000 

 inhabitants. On the banks of the river Shary is Loggan, where much 

 cotton-cloth is made and dyed. On the banks of the river Yeou are 

 the towns of Kabahari, Kukabonee, Bedeekarfi, and Katgnm. Burwha, 

 north of the month of the river Yeon, and not far from Lake Tchad, 

 is a well-fortified place, with about 5000 inhabitants. 



South of Bomou is the kingdom of Mandara, which extends from 

 10* 0' to * W N. lat Steep and rather high ridges inclose wide 

 and open valleys, which are abundantly watered, and on this account, 

 as well as the fertility of the soil, it is rich in natural productions, 

 well cultivated, and densely peopled. The inhabitants are exclusively 

 nssaoes, and are grvtrned by a sovereign of their own race. The 

 valleys of Mandara contain some uiisailei slits towns. Delow contains 

 at least 10,000 inhabitants, and Mora, the residence of the snltan, is a 

 strongly-fortified place, but of less extent 



sTasIsm Sudan extends from 17* to 25' E. long. According to 

 information furnished to European travellers by natives of Africa, 

 who visited this district, it is divided into three countries or states. 

 Kaaeni is contiguous to the eastern banks of Lake Tchad, and south 

 of H USB Begnarmi. 



As a comparatively small portion of Sudan has been seen by 

 Europeans, it would be premature to give a decided opinion as to the 

 relative importance of this part of Africa. But if we may judge from 

 what we know of it, we must pronounce it superior to any other part 

 in fertility, cultivation, and population. 



(Park ; Caillie" ; Denham, Clapperton, and Oudney ; Richard and 

 John Lander ; Laird and Oldfield.) 



SOOLIMANA, a country situated among the sources of the rivers 

 which enter the sea at and immediately to the north of Sierra Leone. 

 This territory extends between 9 20' and 10 28' W. long., and mostly 

 south of 10 N. lat., being about 60 miles in breadth from north to 

 south, and reaching from the present site of Falaba to the left bank 

 of the Joliba or Niger. This is the native country of the Soolimas ; 

 but they now chiefly occupy a strip of land in the adjoining Kooranko 

 territory, which is bounded S. by the river Rokelle, N. by Foota 

 Jallon, W. by Limba and Tamisso, and E. by Kooranko proper and 

 Soolimana, which latter is now used merely as a farming-ground, and 

 only as a temporary residence. 



The Soolima country is diversified with hills, vales, and meadows, 

 belted with stripe of wood, and decorated with clumps of trees of the 

 densest foliage. The hills are composed of a light whitish granite. 

 The soil of the valleys is remarkable for its fertility, and requires very 

 little labour to prepare it for the seed. After sowing, which is generally 

 before the 15th of June, the Soolima leaves his farm in Soolimana, 

 until October, to the care of his wives, who clear the crop of weeds in 

 the early stages of its growth. In October the husband returns from 

 Kooranko, and both sexes labour together in getting in the harvest. 

 Rice is the chief object of culture. Yams and ground-nuts, bananas, 

 pine-apples, and oranges are the principal fruits. The Soolimas have 

 numerous herds of cattle ; and they also rear sheep, goats, and small 

 poultry. The wild animals are numerous, especially elephants, 

 buffaloes, a species of antelope, monkeys, leopards, and wolves. 



All the principal towns of the Soolimas are in Kooranko. These 

 are Falaba, the capital, Sangouia, Semba, Mouaaiah, and Konkodoo- 

 gore, containing in all about 25,000 souls, of which Falaba has about 

 6000. It derives its name from the Fala-Ba, or river Fala, on which 

 it stands, and is nearly a mile and a half long by a mile in breadth, 

 although closely built for an African town. The town is surrounded 

 by a thick stockade of hard wood, and by a ditch 20 feet deep by as 

 many broad. It is of an oblong shape, containing about 4000 circular 

 houses or huts, which though built of clay and covered with conical 

 roofs of thatch, are extremely neat, clean, and in many cases elegant 

 The palaver or court-house stands on an open piece of ground towards 

 the south end of the town. In the centre of the town a large open 

 piece of ground is left vacant for the purposes of exercise, of receiving 

 straageis, and of holding grand palavers. 



The Soolimas are partly heathen, partly Mohammedan ; their 

 stature ranges from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches. They are well 

 formed and muscular. In battle they use the spear, musket, sling, 

 and bow. They exercise the most open hospitality to the strangers 

 who visit them as traders. The trade of the country, which is mono- 

 polised by the king, is chiefly with the Sangaras and the Mandingoes. 

 The former bring horses and gold, for which they receive a share of 

 the goods doth, powder, flints, beads, &c. brought from the coast 

 by the Mandingoes, who in their turn receive slaves and other spoils 

 of war, with a little ivory. 



Except sowing and reaping, the principal cares of husbandry are 

 left to the females, while the men look after the dairy and milk the 

 oows. The women build houses and plaster walls, act as barbers and 

 surgeons, Ac., while the men employ themselves in sewing, and often 

 in washing clothes. The dress of both sexes is very similar to that of 

 the Mandingoes. Murder is the only crime punished with death ; for 

 all other crimes, fines, stripes, or slavery are the punishments. Death, 

 is inflicted by strangling. The mode of trial appears not unlike trial 

 by jury. 



SOOLOO ARCHIPELAOO is situated in the Indian Ocean, between 

 the Philippines and the island of Borneo. It consists of two chainsof 

 islands, which lie nearly parallel, and, together with Borneo and the 

 Philippines, inclose a portion of the ocean which is usually called the 

 Sooloo Sea, sometimes the Mindoro Sea, from the isle of Mindoro. 

 which lies north of it The southern chain of islands, which is pro 

 perly called the Sooloo Iilandt, begins on the west, opposite to the 

 peninsula of Unsung in Borneo, near 5 N. lat, 119" 80' E. Iong. ; 

 and extends east-north-east to 6 50' N. lat, 122 SO' E. long., where 

 it is separated from the south-western part of the island of Mindanao 

 by the strait of Basilan. The northern chain, which is called the 

 Palava* Itiandt, begins on the south near 7 N. lat, 116 30' E. long., 

 opposite Sampanmanjo Point in Borneo; and its southern portion, 

 which is on both sides of the strait of Balabac, lies nearly south and 

 north, but the remainder lies south-west and north-east It terminates 

 with the island of Busvagon on the south side of the Mindoro Strait, 

 near 13 20' N. lat, 120 30' E. long. Large vessels enter and leave 

 the Sooloo Sea by the straits of Basilan, Balabac, and Mindoro. The 

 group of islands between the island of Palawan and the Apo bank in 

 Mindoro Strait, is called Calamiana. Between Palawar and Panay, 

 one of the Philippines, is the group of the Cuyot Islands. South of 

 these is the C'agayana group, and in the south part of the Sooloo Sea, 

 near the northern coast of Borneo, lies the little group of the Cagayan 

 Sooloo. 



Though there are volcanoes in the islands of the Sooloo Archipelago, 

 it does not appear that any of the numerous islands that compose 

 these groups are of volcanic origin. The larger islands of the chain 

 an of moderate height, but the mountains on the island of Palawan 



