xiv 
APPENDIX. 
bourhood of the Equator, it turns to the east, passing at the back of the 
mountains of Komri, which give rise to the Nile* The mountains in 
question, then, ought to be those intended by Abulfeda ; who by the name 
Komri, evidently meant to express the Mountains of the Moon; from which 
Ptolemy derives the remote source of the Nile.t As Abulfeda supposed 
the source of the Nile to be very far to the south or south-west (in which I 
agree generally with him), this chain may be supposed to pass onward from 
the abovementioned quarter, to the east, and south of east, shutting up 
Abyssinia on the south. This, at least, seems the only way in which we can 
fairly understand Abulfeda ; in confirmation of whose description, a part 
of the ridge has been actually found by Mr. Park.+ According to Leo 
(p. 249), the country of Melli is bordered on the south by mountains; 
and these must be nearly in the same parallel with the mountains of Kong, 
seen by Mr. Park. 
Mr. Beaufoy was informed that the countries on the south and south- 
west of the Niger, lying opposite to, and to the westward of, Kassina, were 
also mountainous and woody. In particular in the line between Kassina and 
Assentai, the country is said to be formed of a succession of hills, with 
woods of vast extent, and some mountains of a stupendous height. § 
As the source of the Nile is confessedly very far to the south of the 
* When the above is considered, we can understand that Abulfeda supposed the bays 
of Benin and St. Thomas to be 11 or 12 degrees more to the east, than they really are?; 
and he might well suppose that " the sea came in at the back of the mountains that gave 
rise to the Nile." 
That the Nile of Egypt, and not the Niger, is meant, we learn in another place in the 
same author, where he speaks of the Egyptian Nile, and traces it to Egypt. Prolego- 
mena, article Rivers. 
f Komri, or rather Kummeree, is the Arabic term for lunar ; and is the adjective of 
Kummer, the moon. [Mr. Hastings.] 
% The mountains of Kong were seen by Mr. Park ; but no other part of the chain. 
$ African Association, 1790, and 1 79 1 , quarto ed. p. 117, 123; octavo, 176, 186. 
Also quarto, 174; octavo, 260., 
As two editions of this work are in the hands of the public, I have referred to both 
throughout this work ; distinguishing them respectively by Q^and O. 
