CHAr. LXXVII. INTEKCOUKSE WITH EGYPT. 193 
ther taken into account, that the inhabitants of the 
oasis of Aiijila, which lies on the great commercial road 
from Egypt to these regions, were the first who opened 
this western part of Negroland to the intercourse of 
the Arabs. The whole history of Songhay points to 
Egypt ; the itinerary of the route of the Nasamones, 
if rightly constructed, inclines to this quarter ; and it 
is easily to be understood hoAV Herodotus*, on receiv- 
ing the news that so large a river was running east- 
ward, in such a northerly latitude as nearly 18°, could 
conceive the opinion that this was the Upper Nile. 
Even in more modern times, we find Egyptian mer- 
chants established from the eleventh century in the 
town of Biru, or Walata, side by side with those of 
Ghadames and Tafilelet ; the principal commerce of 
Gdgho and Kiikia was directed towards Egypt, and the 
large commercial entrep6t — Siik — of the tribe of the 
Tademekka, about one hundred miles from Burrum, 
on that great highroad, was evidently founded for 
that purpose. 
Formerly there were three villages, containing a 
considerable population, till about eleven years agof 
the Fulbe, under the command of 'Abd AUahi, the 
uncle of the present ruler of Masina, who at that time 
was a very energetic and warlike chieftain, made an 
expedition to this place with about 6000 horse, and 
20,000 foot, while the whole of the Tawarek, the 
* Book ii. chap, xxxii. rrjp d^oy TroiEVfxivovg irpoq ^e(j)vpov 
av Efxov . 
f This passage was written in 1854. 
VOL. v. O 
