64 
TRIBUTARY TO THE TOOARIKS. 
ing. Having nothing to fear in communicating with Jennd, 
they prefer trading with that place. 
The Foulahs who inhabit the neighbourhood of the 
river also visit Timbuctoo. The few whom I happened to 
see were similar in features and colour to those of the Fouta- 
Dhialon. They were armed with several pikes. 
The trade of Timbuctoo is considerably cramped by 
the Tooariks, a warlike nation who render the inhabitants 
of the town their tributaries. The latter, for the privilege 
of carying on their trade, give them what they demand, 
independently of the duties levied on the flotillas at 
Cabra. A refusal to satisfy them would be attended with 
serious consequences ; for the Tooariks are very numerous, 
and sufficiently strong to cut off all communication between 
Cabra and Timbuctoo, vs^hen the city and its neighbourhood, 
having within themselves no agricultural resources, would be 
reduced to famine. The Moors entertain a profound con- 
tempt for the Tooariks, and when they would express their 
utmost hatred of them, they compare them to the christians, 
whom they suppose to be the same kind of vagabonds and de- 
predators. I endeavoured to refute this error, which re- 
ceived implicit credit here. I assured them that the Euro- 
peans were not to be compared to those marauders ; that, 
instead of robbing, they were always ready to assist and 
succour their fellow creatures. But if the christians are 
so very good,'* said they, ^' why did you not stay among 
them This question embarrassed me a little; but I replied 
that God had ordained it otherwise, and had inspired me 
with the idea of returning to my country to resume the 
religion of my fathers. 
The house of my host Sidi was constantly infested with 
Tooariks and Arabs. These people visit Timbuctoo for 
the sole purpose of extorting from the inhabitants what 
they call presents, but what might be more properly called 
forced contributions. I have often seen them sit in the 
