24 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXX. 
ancient times.* It is brought from Taod^nni, a place 
whose situation has been tolerably well established by 
M. Caillie's journey f, and the mines of which have 
been worked, as we know from A'hmed Babd, since 
the year 1596, when the former mines of Teghdza, 
situated some seventy miles further to the north, were 
given up. These salt mines of Teghaza appear to have 
been worked from very remote times, or at least before 
the eleventh century; and there can be little doubt 
that the mines of Tatental, described by the excellent 
geographer El Bekri as situated twenty days' journey 
from Sijilmesa, and two from the beginning of the 
desert, are identical with Teghdza. Even at that 
time both Sigilmesa and Ghdnata were provided from 
here, while at least the eastern and original portion of 
Songhay was supplied at that early period from the 
mines of Tautek, six days from Tademekka. J 
In Taodenni the salt, which covers a very extensive 
tract of ground in the district " El-J6f," is formed 
in five layers, or uj^/' uppermost of which is 
called el-wdra ; the second, el-benti ; the third, el- 
* See El Bekri, ed. de Slane, p. 174:— , 
In another passage (p. 183.) he describes the commerce of Gogo 
in the words : — 
" The commerce of Gogo consists of salt, and salt is their standard 
currency." 
I See Caillie's Travels to Timbuctoo, ii. p. 119; and about 
Teghaza, or, as lie writes, Trasas, or Trarzas, p. 128. 
X El Bekri, p. l7l. In the time of Ebn Haukal (a. H. 960) the 
salt was brought from AuHl to Audaghost. 
