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TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXXIII. 
of Takabello, with both of which Ibrahima used to 
compare it, or the Alantika on a larger scale. Its 
circumference at the base certainly does not exceed 
probably from ten to twelve miles, as it is partly 
encompassed by the straggling village of the same 
name, which seems to stretch out to a considerable 
length, or rather to be separated into two or three 
distinct clusters. The place has a market every 
Friday, which is of some importance. 
From my position the top of the mount presented 
the shape here delineated ; and even through the 
telescope the Minclif, as well as the singular mount of 
Kamalle, of which I shall soon have to speak, seemed 
to be of a whitish or greyish colour, which led me to 
the conclusion that it consisted of a calcareous rock. 
It was not till a much later period that I learnt, 
from a native of the village of Mindif, that the 
stone was originally quite black, not only on the 
surface, but all through, and extremely hard, and 
that the white colour is merely due to immense 
numbers of birds, which habitually frequent it, being 
nothing else than guano. I think, therefore, that this 
