'286 REMARKS ON TRAVELS 
will be observed, which perhaps appears forced and 
unnatural ; it results from the lines of route as noted down 
and the difficulty of substituting any thing else has alone 
determined me to retain it, although doubtful of its ac- 
curacy : an error, however, in this tracing will have 
little influence on the general result. 
In approaching Cabra, the port of Timbuctoo, M. 
Caillie perceived to the right a large arm of the river, 
running E. N. E. and he continued to navigate the other, 
holding a north-west course. He was informed that 
the latter rejoined the first at some distance ; but this im- 
portant fact has not been verified by any European eye ; 
the traveller could not have ascertained it, without re- 
pairing himself, at considerable risk, to the point of 
junction. As for the inhabitants, perfectly indifferent 
as to obtaining or transmitting intelligence of this sort, 
they spoke very vaguely to him on the subject. The 
problem, therefore, of the ulterior direction, and of the 
final termination of these branches of the river, is yet to 
be resolved; I defer this discussion to a subsequent 
article*, as well as the particular question of the situation 
of Timbuctoof; and shall conclude this with repeating, 
that the itinerary from Time to Galia, and from Galia to 
Timbuctoo, has been framed on the calculation of two 
miles an hour. 
* See § V. farther on. 
t See Art. 3. 
