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Soudan. The vast level region occupying central Africa, south of 

 the Desert, and bounded, on its south, by the Mountains of the Moon, 

 contains several semi-civilized independent states, and various petty 

 kingdoms, more or less dependant upon others, which, by policy or the 

 force of arms, have gained a fluctuating predominance over them. How- 

 ever these states or kingdoms may be divided, it would seem that three 

 principal races, having each a distinct language which has ramified into 

 many dialects, occupy this extensive country. These three races lead to 

 the division of Soudan into the kingdom of Timbuctoo, the kingdom of 

 Houssa, or Hausa, and the kingdom of Bornou, to which latter the states 

 of Bergu, or Dar Szalich, Begharmi, and Borgho, are tributary. Bergu 

 is seated to the east of Bornou, Begharmi to the south-east of the lake 

 Tschad, and Borgho to the south-west or the south of Houssa, having a 

 country termed Gourna on its northern boundary, and Yarriba, or Eyeo, 

 to the south, extending to Dahomeh. According to Clapperton, the 

 Kong chain of mountains rises in the Borgho country, north of Ashantee, 

 whence it stretches in a south-east direction, through Borgho, Yarriba, and 

 Laboo, into Benin, having an altitude of about 2,500 feet. Borgho is 

 divided into the petty states of Niki,* Khiama, Wawa, and Boussa, the 

 latter being seated on the Niger. The language of this territory and that 

 of Yarriba are cognate dialects. Our knowledge of the present condition 

 of Soudan is due to the researches of various modern travellers, among 

 whom Clapperton and Denham, Burckhardt, Lander, and Hornemann, 

 may be consulted with advantage. 



Of the physical characteristics of the Negroes of Soudan, we have 

 only general accounts : they are said to be robust and muscular, with 

 coarse features, and a jet black complexion, but to differ in minor pecu- 

 liarities. The Houssa race are superior to the people of Bornou, War- 

 gera, and the Bergu, or Mobba, district, and excel them in intelligence. 

 Some of the females, as Jackson reports, are even beautiful ; and he 

 ascribes to them large expressive eyes, and a prominent nose : he adds, 

 that " a young girl of Houssa, of exquisite beauty, was sold at Morocco, 

 when he was there, for 400 ducats, the usual price of a female Negro 

 being 100." M. Rozet observes, that Negresses brought from the 

 interior of Soudan are to be seen, in the Algerine country, of a jet black 

 colour, but with aquiline noses, lips slightly tumid, large eyes, and 

 an open forehead ; and that men from the same country have often a 

 similar style of countenance. Dr. Seetzen (" Nachrichen, v. d. Negerlande," 

 in F. Von Zach's Monathl. Corr. 1810, p. 141) describes two natives of 

 Bergu, or Mobba, Abdallah and Hassan (from whom he derived much 



* According to Lander, the king of Niki is styled, by way of pre-eminence, the Sultan of 

 Borgho, and his empire includes the following states; namely, Niki, Bury Khiama, Sandero, King- 

 ka, Korokoo, Loogoo, and Funda. Boussa and Wawa, he adds, form a separate state, where a 

 different language is spoken, and different manners prevail. 



