RELATING TO AFRICA. 
38? 
unless we suppose their measures erroneous in an 
enormous degree, and of which there is no other 
instance. The terms used by Eolrisi render it pos- 
sible that, by sea, he might merely mean an inland 
lake. Yet, from the general scope of his work, I 
rather incline to suspect that he mistook the lake 
for the sea, and some point on its opposite shore 
for an island. It appears however, to have been 
better understood by subsequent geographers. 
Thus Ibn-al-Vardi describes Ulil as a great city, 
situated on the shore of the Bahr, (sea or lake.) * 
Probably the information of subsequent travel- 
lers, who had performed the circuit of the lake, 
shewed him the error of Edrisi in mistaking it 
for the sea. A still later geographer (Scheabed- 
din) says expressly that the branch of the Nile 
which flows through Djenawa (Gana), does not 
reach the sea .t Major Rennell has traced the fol- 
lowing etymology: Ulil, Oulili, Oualet, Walet. 
If Walet, or any part of its territory, be Ulil, 
then the sea of Edrisi could scarcely be any thing 
else than the Dibbie. His measures, however, 
seem hardly to extend so far, but to agree better 
with another lake to the east of Tombuctoo ; the 
existence of which has been reported by recent 
travellers. Additional information, it is to be 
hoped, may soon be obtained, which will determine 
this curious point. 
* Notices des Manuscrits du Roi, II. 35. f lb. II. 156. 
