410 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. 
Chap. LXVL 
history of mankind, in a branch which was formerly 
almost unknown. 
A'hmed Babd, however, limits himself to the records 
of the political relations of Songhay, and does not en- 
ter into any ethnological questions, leaving us entirely 
in the dark as to the original seats of the tribe ; for 
while in general, on the banks of the Niger, the towns 
of Tindirma and Dire are supposed to be the original 
seats of the Songhay, A'hmed Babd apparently re- 
stricts the limits of the ancient Songhay to the east- 
ern quarter around Kiikiya, stating distinctly* that 
the town of Timbuktu was not under the authority 
of any foreign king before it became subjected to 
the dominion of Kunkur-Miisa, the celebrated king of 
Melle. Yet from this statement we cannot conclude 
with absolute certainty that the banks of the great 
river to the south-west of that town were not com- 
prised in the kingdom of Songhay before that period ; 
for Timbuktu, lying on the north side of the river, 
and being founded by the Tawarek or Imoshagh, was 
an independent place by itself, and in the beginning 
not closely connected with the history of the sur- 
rounding region. It might easily have happened, 
therefore, that the Songhay language was not at all 
spoken in Timbuktu at a former period, without any 
conclusion being drawn from this circumstance re- 
specting the country to the south and south-west of 
the river. But although, according to A'hmed Baba's 
account, the foundation of the place was entirely 
* Journal of the Leipsic Oriental Society, vol. ix. p. 525. 
