INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 215 
To the north-east of Masina, is situated the kingdom of 
Tombuctoo, the great object of European research ; the capital 
of this kingdom being one of the principal marts for that ex- 
tensive commerce which the Moors carry on with the Negroes. 
The hopes of acquiring wealth in this pursuit, and zeal for 
propagating their religion, have filled this extensive city with 
Moors and Mahomedan converts ; the king himself, and all the 
chief officers of state are Moors ; and they are said to be more 
severe and intolerant in their principles than any other of the 
Moorish tribes in this part of Africa. I was informed by a 
venerable old Negro, that when he first visited Tombuctoo, he 
took up his lodging at a sort of public inn, the landlord of 
which, when he conducted him into his hut, spread a mat on the 
floor, and laid a rope upon it ; saying " if you are a Mussulman 
" you are my friend, sit down ; but if you are a Kafir, you are 
" my slave ; and with this rope, I will lead you to market." 
The present King of Tombuctoo is named Abu Abrahima ; he 
is reported to possess immense riches. His wives and concu- 
bines are said to be clothed in silk, and the chief officers of 
state live in considerable splendour. The whole expence of his 
government is defrayed, as I was told, by a tax upon merchan- 
dize, which is collected at the gates of the city. 
The city of Houssa, (the capital of a large kingdom of the 
same name, situated to the eastward of Tombuctoo,) is another 
great mart for Moorish commerce. I conversed with many 
merchants who had visited that city ; and they all agreed 
that it is larger, and more populous, than Tombuctoo. The 
trade, police, and government, are nearly the same in both ; but 
