IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
333 
Tymboctou* 
Touat 
This list contains the names of several Moorish tribes 
and colonies of different nations, the orthography of which 
is uncertain. It would require very laborious research, and 
assistance which will be long unsupplied, to write these 
names more correctly ; I have contented myself with dis- 
carding from the names occurring in the journal all useless 
letters, and those which do not accord with the sound as 
remembered by our traveller. 
Science would be much benefited by the careful exa- 
mination of the names engraved on the maps of Northern 
Africa, without excepting those recently published, and 
the indication of the duplicates and false names, which are 
real blemishes in works otherwise of great value ; but this 
labour, even as regards the countries which belong to my 
subject, would occupy too much time. The nomenclature 
is of more importance than is usually ascribed to it by the 
* When properly written, I do not think that this word contains 
a ^ ye. We may be satisfied, however, with the orthography 
clI^^A^' Temboctou, and the word is perhaps composed of the 
Berber particle te or ta, as Tamaroc, Takant, Tarekne, T-rarzas, T- razah, 
etc., and of m-boctou, formed like M-dayara. I know that Ben, 
lative to the use of the m or n. See The Travels of Thn Batouta, English 
translation by Mr. Lee, London 1829, p. 237- 
The only doubt remaining is re- 
