NATIVE ACCOUNT OF TIMBUCTOO. 93 



out of the lake in various directions. They 

 would not believe me when I told them that 

 the Quorra did not run into the Lake Tchad, 

 but that the Shary ran into the Quorra. Ali, the 

 Arab, was so confident of the Quorra running 

 into the Lake Tchad, that he was quite anxious 

 to accompany us, and to take with him his 

 slaves, as he was then on the point of going to 

 Bornou. 



Timbuctoo was described as a large manufac- 

 turing town, situate inland from the Quorra, 

 communicating with the Niger by a creek which 

 runs at the foot of the town. It is said that the 

 population is immense, and that the Moors and 

 Arabs, with large kafilas, trade there with goods 

 of British manufacture. 



The Felatah ladies are very particular in 

 adorning and ornamenting their persons : their 

 toilet occupies them several hours, and prepa- 

 rations for it are commenced the night before, by 

 laying the leaves of henna, moistened, to the 

 toes and finger-nails, and hands ; on the fol- 

 lowing morning the leaves are removed, the 

 parts being stained a beautiful purple colour. 

 They have an extraordinary practice of staining 

 the teeth with the acid of the Goora nut and 



