256 



DR. EARTH'S ARRIVAL AT TIMBUCTOO. 



[1854. 



steamer was under weigh for Orillia, on the shores of Lake Cou- 

 ehiching, where a stay of about an hour was made. Returning, 

 the boat arrived at her destination some time before the cars 

 appeared. The party readied Toronto a few minutes after 10 

 o'clock, p.m. It is needless to remark that every attention was 

 paid by the Directors to the enjoyment of their guests. All 

 arrangements were admirable, and cannot fail' to secure for the 

 delightful scenery of Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiehiug many 

 admirers during the comma; summer. 



Miscellaneous Intelligence* 



DR. BARTH'S ARRIVAL AT TIMBUCTOO. 



To the Editor of the Evening Mail. 

 Sir, — Despatches and private letters have this morning been received 

 from Dr. Earth, announcing his safe arrival at that celebrated city, 

 Timbuctoo. 



In order not to encroach too greatly on your valuable space, the 

 reader may be referred to the account of the expedition under Dr. 

 Barth just published by authority of Her Majesty's Foreign Office, in 

 which work all the reasons that prompted Dr. Barth to venture on that 

 undertaking are explained, and the first portion of the journey itself 

 is described. It suffices to observe that when Dr. Barth, in Septem- 

 ber, 1852, lost his only companion, Dr. Overweg, he saw himself re- 

 luctantly compelled to abandon for the time the contemplated journey 

 across the continent towards the Indian Ocean. He resolved, however, 

 with true heroism, to undertake alone the journey to Timbuctoo, which, 

 though greatly less in magnitude than a journey would be to the Indian 

 Ocean, was looked upon as a most difficult and dangerous attempt. 

 *'As the sole survivor of the mission [so wrote Dr. Barth before his 

 departure from Kuka], the completion of its objects now devolving 

 entirely on me, I feel my powers doubled, and my mind all the more 

 determined, single-handed, to follow up the results already obtained. 

 My means consist of a tolerable supply of presents, in addition to 200 

 dollars, four camels, and four horses. My health is in the best condi- 

 tion, and, with five trustworthy, long-tried servants, well armed, and 

 having plenty of powder and shot with us, I shall, with fresh and re- 

 doubled courage, and with full confidence of success, start on my jour- 

 ney to Timbuctoo." 



Accordingly, Dr. Barth, a man who never boasts with empty words, 

 Set out from Kuka by the end of November, 1852, and proceeded first 

 to Sakata, by way of Zinder and Kashna, the route by Kano being im- 

 practicable, on account of the war in that region between the Bour- 

 nouese and Fellatahs. The last letters received from him were dated 

 Kashea, 6th of March, 1853 ; those received this day from Timbuctoo, 

 by way of Tuat, bear dates ranging from the 7th of September to the 

 5th of October last, and none of the various letters despatched during 

 the six months from March to September have as yet reached Europe. 

 The details of his proceedings during that time, therefore, comprising 

 the whole of his journey from Kashna to Timbuctoo, are yet unknown. 

 It appears, however, that the general direction of his route from Sa- 

 katu to Timbuctoo was at first west-north-west, and that he crossed 

 the Kowara (commonly called Niger) at Say, an important place, of 

 considerable size, situated in about 14° north latitude and 3° 45' east 

 longitude, Greenwich, 150 geographical miles west-north-west from Sa- 

 katu. Both from this place and Libtako he had despatched letters to 

 Europe by way of Sakatu. Libtako is a large place, situated in about 

 14° 40' north latitude and 0° 30' east longitude, 335 geographical miles 

 from Sakatu, and 240 from Timbuctoo. 



From Libtako to Timbuctoo, the general direction of Dr. Earth's 

 course was north-west till he reached Saraiyamo, a large town 00 miles 

 south of Timbuctoo, and situated on a tributary or branch of the Ko- 

 wara. On the former river he embarked on the lstof September. At 

 first it presented a fine sheet of water, 300 yards in width, but after- 

 wards .a most intricate system of narrow meandering channels, partly 

 overgrown with reeds and grass, at a distance' of 40 miles in a straight 

 line from Saraiyamo. After a very tedious zigzag navigation, he en- 

 tered the main stream, the Kowara, on the 4th of September, near the 



village of Koromeh, presenting a magnificent aspect, covered, as it 

 was, with a numerous fleet of vessels and boats of various sizes. 



Crossing the Kowara, and entering a creek on its northern side, Dr. 

 Barth reached Kabara on the next following day. Kabara is only a 

 small town of -400 houses and huts, but has attained great celebrity as 

 the port of Timbuctoo. It scarcely, however, deserves that distinction, 

 as it is approachable by water only during four months of the year at 

 an average, and at most during five months, when the floods are un- 

 usually high. The creek on which it is situated is of so inconsiderable 

 a size and depth that even at the time of Dr. Earth's visit, which was 

 during the rainy season, the boat, bearing only himself and his effects, 

 had to be dragged up to the place with great difficulty ; the creek 

 measured about fifteen feet across, and the water scarcely reached up 

 to the boatmen's knees. The docks of Kabara, as an artificial, large, 

 handsome basin close to the town may be called, contained but a few 

 boats at the time of Dr. Barth's arrival. Koromeh, the place already 

 mentioned, and the islands of Day, between it and Kabara, havo 

 greater claims to be considered the port of Timbuctoo. 



On the 7th of September, 1853, Dr. Barth entered the city of Tim- 

 buctoo in grand style, escorted by the brother of the Sheikh-el-Bakay, 

 the ruling chief, and by a splendid suite on horseback, on camel and 

 on foot, welcomed and saluted by the festive multitudes of the inhabi- 

 tants. The latter had been made to believe that the arriving stranger 

 was a messenger from the Great Sultan of Stamboul ! The real cha- 

 racter of Dr. Earth was only known to the Sheikh himself, whose pro- 

 tection and goodwill the intrepid traveller had been fortunate enough 

 to obtain, and who considered it advisable that he should assume that 

 character, on account of the very fanatical disposition of the great 

 mass of the people. During Dr. Barth's subsequent stay, up to the 

 5th of October, the Sheikh-el-Bakay and his brother had remained the 

 faithful friends of the pretended "ambassador from Stamboul;" but 

 even under this character Dr. Barth considered himself not entirely 

 free from danger, owing to the complicated nature of the political 

 powers which exercise a sovereign sway over Timbuctoo, the inhabi- 

 tants being composed of various nationalities. There are — first, the 

 Sonray, forming the great mass of the people; then Arabs of various 

 tribes — Fellatahs and Tuaricks, together with a small number of Bam- 

 bara and Mandingo. One faction was not at all favorably disposed to- 

 wards Dr. Barth, but wished his death ; so that it was necessary for 

 him to observe great caution in his movements and intercourse with 

 the people. Fortunate, indeed, was it that the traveller had secured 

 the sincere and unequivocal friendship of the Sheikh, under whose im- 

 mediate protection he lived at his residence, and who had promised to 

 have him safely escorted on his return to Sakatu. 



Thus far the news will be gratifying to the friends of Dr. Barth. 

 His state of health, however, was not in the same degree satisfactory. 

 The accomplishment of the journey from Lake Tsad to Timbuctoo, 

 which, in linear extent, taking into account the windings of the route, 

 amounts to at least 2000 miles, may well prove a tiwing task for the 

 physical powers of any man, from its extent alone; but when to this is 

 added a preceding three years' travel and toil, the obstructions arising 

 from the rainy season, with its swollen rivers, floods, and inundations, 

 during which, partly at least, the journey to Timbuctoo was accom- 

 plished, together with the harassing difficulties and dangers arising 

 from the fanatical character of the inhabitants he had to pass through, 

 it will scarcely excite surprise that Dr, Earth' should have reached 

 Timbuctoo in a rather exhausted condition. Such were the exertions 

 of the journey that two out of the six camels died on the road, and the 

 remainder were unfit for further use. And as to Timbuctoo, the so- 

 journ at that place seems to have been anything but refreshing and 

 strengthening in its effects on Dr. Barth, consisting, as it does, of a 

 pent-up mass of closely packed buildings. Attacks of fever, there- 

 fore, affected the health of the traveller still more than the weakening 

 effects of the journey, and it is evident fi-om the letters that his strength 

 was greatly impaired when he wrote them. Hopes, however, of soon 

 rallying and regaining his strength never left Dr. Barth, and with a 

 most remarkable perseverance and courage he was planning his next 

 journey, the return to Sakatu, while despatching the letters now re- 

 ceived. 



The city of Timbuctoo, which to reach has been the life's ambition 

 of so many celebrated travellers, is placed by Dr. Barth in 18° 3' 30" 

 to 18° 4' 5" north latitude, and 1° 45' west longitude, Greenwich. 

 Its form is that of a triangle ; it is closely built of houses, mostly of 

 clay and stone, many with handsome and tasteful fronts — the interior 

 being similarly arranged to that of the houses in Agadez, visited by 



