838 



NIGRITIA. 



species of sport. The flesh is considered a great delicacy. On the naorrow, we had a 

 full opportunity of convincing ourselves, that these uncouth and stupendous animals are 

 very sensibly attracted by musical sounds, even though they should not be of the softest 

 kind; — as we passed along the borders of Lake Muggaby, at sunrise, they followed the 

 drums of the different chiefs the whole length of the water, sometimes approaching so close 

 to the shore, that the water they spouted from their moutlis, reached the persons who were 

 passing along the banks. I counted 15 at one time, sporting on the surface ; and my servant, 

 Columbus, shot one of them in the head, when he gave so loud a roar, as he buried himself in 

 the lake, that all the others disappeared in an instant." The elephants of this country are ex- 

 ceedingly fierce ; they are sometimes seen in droves of 150 togetlier. Panthers, leopards, 

 and antelopes, are also natives of this country. Reptiles are numei'ous. 



8. Bornou. The kingdom of Bornou appears to be the most important of the sovereignties, 

 respecting which we have any distinct knowledge. It is bounded on the north by Khanem and 

 the Desert ; on the east, by Lake Tchad ; on the south, by Mandara and Loggun ; and on the 

 west, by Houssa. It lies between 10^ aud 15° N. latitude, and 12° and 18° E. longitude. 

 The whole country is flat, and the greater part is covered with thick underwood, high, coarse 

 grass, and parasitical plants. The towns are, in general, well built, surrounded by walls, 30 or 

 40 feet in height, and 20 feet thick. Kouka is the capital, and Birnie is the residence of the 

 sultan. 



The other towns are Old Birnie, Kouka, and Jlngornon. At Kouka, Denham and Clap- 

 perton attended the Sheik of Bornou, and made him a present. There is a trade in the ex- 



Sheik of Bornou. Denham and Clapperton with a Caravan. 



portation of gold-dust, slaves, horses, ostrich-feathers, salt, and civet. The slaves are pro- 

 cured from the neighboring districts to the south, whei'e a regular system of slave-hunting is 

 carried on. The Bornouese manufacture the iron, which their country produces, into rude 

 tools. Of their hemp, they make a sort of coarse linen ; and of cotton, a kind of cloth, which 

 is dyed blue, and highly valued. They also manufacture carpets, for coverings to their horses 

 and tents, of wool, and the hair of camels and goats. They trade with Tripoli and Fezzan, 

 by caravans, wliich ])roceed across the desert. It was in this direction, that Denham and 

 Clapperton penetrated to the country, and gave the first distinct informalion of it to the world. 



Bornou abounds in domestic animals, such as cows, sheep, goats, and horses, camels and 

 buffaloes. Bullocks are a medium of trade for everything ; and 100 or I 50 of them are given 

 for a good horse. Abundance of fowl are reared, and hives of bees ai'e extremely plentiful. 

 No vegetables are raised, except onions ; nor any fruit, save a few limes. A species of sniall 

 grain, called gussub, is cultivated, which is boiled to a paste, and eaten with melted fat. 



The population was estimated, by Denham, at 5,000,000 ; and when that traveler visited 

 the country, the sultan had an army of 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 infantry. The appearance 

 of a body of these troops, is thus described, in his approach to the capital. " I rode still on- 

 wards, and on approaching a spot less thickly planted, was not a liltle surp-ised to see, in front 

 of me, a body of several ihousand cavnliy diawn up in a line, and extendjug right and left, as 

 far as I could see ; and, checking my horse, T awaited ihe arrival of my parly, under the shade 



