18 SPRINGS, RIVERS, CANALS, LAKES, 



of the NIGER ; but such an opinion is now generally held to be er- 

 roneous ; it being believed that the Niger discharges its rapid stream 

 into a lake not more than sixty miles distant from another lake of 

 great depth called Maberia, whence issues one of the sources of 

 the Senegal ; but these two lakes are intersected by a ridge of lofty 

 mountains. The Niger is said b) d'Anville, likewise, to bear the 

 names of the Guin, or lea. That geographer chiefly follows Pto- 

 lemy in his description of this river. He lays it down in his map as 

 springing from two lakes about two hundred and fifty miles distant 

 from each other j the one he calls Semegoud, the other Hegebib / 

 he places the most southern in 13 north latitude, while the other, 

 which is the most eastern, lies about the twentieth degree of east 

 Jongitude from Greenwich. The winding course of this wide 

 and land girt river, tends to the westward} and is supposed to 

 terminate in another lake, called by Ptolemy Marais, and which 

 d'Auville lays down in 15 6 north latitude, and 3 west longitude from 

 Greenwich. 



The GAMBIA is likewise a river of very extensive course, wide, 

 and rapid, to the south of the Senegal, and in its progress from its 

 source to its disemboguing, proceeds in a direction very similar to 

 the latter. It discharges itself into the Atlantic in 13 north la. 

 titude. 



In addition to what has been remarked by Ptolemy, d'nville, 

 and other writers, may be subjoined the following more recent in- 

 formation contained in the evidence given by Mr. Barnes to the lords 

 of the committee of "council, as laid before the house of commons 

 in the year 1792. 



" The river Senegal," says he, ' is supposed to take its rise from 

 the western declivity of the mountains of Govina. The river 

 Niger takes its rise from the eastern declivity of these moun- 

 tains," according to d'Anville. The Africans navigate both thes 

 rivers, and in^plages where there are cataracts, carry their goods 

 upon asses. The French trade in small vessels to fort St. Joseph, 

 which is near three hundred and sixty leagues up the river Senegal, 

 and go sometimes as far as the first cataract, which is about twenty 

 leagues farther, where they purchase slaves, who are supposed to 

 he brought from places two hundred or three hundred leagues higher 

 up the country." St, Joseph lies in about 10 15' west longitude 

 from Greenwich. 



