mr browne's journey. 
415 
district from which it is brought is termed Fertit, 
the natives of which exhibit the negro features 
and complexion. It lies about twenty-four jour- 
neys to the south of Cobbe, on the Misselad, a con- 
siderable river. The merchants who pass towards 
the sources of the Bahr Misselad, seldom return till 
the end of two years, and occupy from 150 to 180 
days on the route. About eight journeys to the 
east of the copper-mines of Fertit lie the sources 
of the Bahr el Abiad, or Western Nile, termed 
the While River, from the muddy clay colour of its 
waters, in contradistinction to the Bahr el Azrac, 
or Blue River, the Eastern Nile, whose source 
was explored by Bruce, which receives its deno- 
mination from the deep azure colour of its stream. 
The country is extremely mountainous, and term- 
ed Donga, where the Pagan chief resides. The 
inhabitants are black, and are sometimes kidnap- 
ped by the inhabitants of Bergoo. The river 
rises from forty distinct hills, termed Kumri, or 
the Mountains of the Moon, from which nume- 
rous streams descend, which, uniting in one chan- 
nel, form the Western Nile. 
Zamfara, or Zanfara, was mentioned to Mr Browne 
as a country near Bornou, but he never heard of 
Wangara. He was informed that Asran, a coun- 
try which borders on the west of Bornou, abound- 
ed so much in silver, that the natives construct 
their defensive armour of this metal, as well as the 
corslets of their horses. 
