XXXVl 
APPEND 1 X. 
CHAPTER IV. 
The Construction of the Geography continued. 
At Silla, Mr. Park was informed that Tombuctoo was yet fourteen jour- 
nies of the caravan distant from him ; and these he has calculated at 200 
G. miles only, in a direct line from Silla; as it appears that a bend in 
the course of the river, prevents a direct line of route towards it. As to the 
bearing, he unfortunately could not, as at Jarra, obtain a consistent account 
of it. The natives always pointed along the general course of the river; 
although, as it may be supposed, it occasionally deviated to the right and 
left. It has been seen, in the bearing of Sego, how nearly it was given by 
judgment ; but then the two cases differ very widely. The route is 
entirely by land, from Jarra to Sego, by which the idea of the general line 
of direction is better preserved, than when broken into so many small 
parts, by a river navigation, the more ordinary mode of communication 
(as it appears) between Silla and Tombuctoo. There were, no doubt, 
people, could Mr. Park have been able to meet with them, who having 
made the journey by land, could have furnished him with better informa- 
tion : but the reader, who already knows under what suspicious circum- 
stances Mr. Park travelled in this quarter, will easily conceive that he 
was precluded from any communication with those, who alone could have 
given the information : that is, the Moorish merchants, and their de- 
pendants. 
The bearing of Tombuctoo from Benowm, was pointed out to Mr. 
Park, by a merchant of some consideration, who had resided at Walet, 
and had visited both Tombuctoo and Houssa. But the exceeding great 
distance of Tombuctoo and Benowm, (it being nearly twice the distance of 
Sego from Jarra), will not admit such a degree of confidence in the report, 
as to allow it to supersede all other authorities, however it may aid the task 
