APPENDIX. No. IV. cxix 
north of the equator, (the Niger,) of which the termination is unknown, and 
which may, perhaps, form the principal branch of the Congo. These, in truth, 
are the only grounds upon which the present supposition can be fairly said 
to rest. Arguments founded upon etymological conjectures, supposed resem- 
blances of names, or affinity of languages, 8cc. Sic, are, for the most part, too 
arbitrary and fanciful, and liable to too much uncertainty to be entitled to 
any place in disquisitions of this nature. The same remark is applicable to 
the narratives and descriptions given by native travellers and merchants, and, 
in general, to all Jfrican evidence whatever, except when supported by col- 
lateral proof from other less exceptionable sources. 
Such being the evidence in favour of ihe hypothesis respecting the Congo, 
the objections against this theorj' must be admitted to be weighty and for- 
midable. The principal of these are, J. That it supposes the course of the 
Niger to lie through the vast chain of the Kong Mountains (anciently Montes 
Luncc), the great central belt of Africa. Of the existence of these mountains 
there appears to be no doubt; and from their situation in liie midst of a 
great continent, they may reasonably be supposed to be of vast size and 
extent ; in which case it is difficult to understand, how the Niger could pene- 
trate this barrier, and force a passage southwards. 2. The course of the 
Niger, estimated from its source in the mountains of Senegal (supposing it to 
be the same river with the Congo, and to flow by Wangara and Cashna 
through the centre of Africa mto the Atlantic), would be considerably more 
than 40u0 miles. But the course of the Amazon, the greatest river in the 
old or new world with which we are acquainted, is only about 3500 miles; 
and, although the existence of a river considerably greater than any yet 
known, may be within the limits of physical possibility ; yet, so improbable a 
supposition ought not to be adopted upon slight or conjectural reasoning, or 
upon any thing much short of distinct and positive proof. To give such a 
vast extension to the Congo upon the grounds stated by Mr. Maxwell, might 
justly be considered as one of those exaggerations, to which, according to a 
remaik of D'AnviUe, geographical writers upon Africa have always been 
remarkably prone, " en abusant, pour ainsi dire, du vaste carriere que 
I'interieur de I'Afrique y laissoit prendre." (Mem. de 1' Academic des Inscrip- 
tions, Tom. xxvi p. 61.*) 
Before the editor finally dismisses the subject of the Congo, he may be 
* The following scale (taken from Major Rennell's Memoir of a Map of Hindostan, 
