406 THEORIES RESPECTING THE NIGER. 
tuated on the Upper Senegal, perhaps Tambou- 
canee, mentioned by Saugnier as a great mart for 
slaves and gold. A different conclusion might in- 
deed be suggested by the mention of Zimbala, 
which, from name and situation, can scarcely be 
any other than the Jinbala of Park. But it seems 
not difficult to conceive, that reports applicable to 
the real, might come mixed with those of the ima- 
ginary Tombuctoo, especially as the former was 
known, not through this channel only, but also 
through that of the Barbary traders. 
In all these maps, a prominent feature consists 
in a lake called Guardia or Sigesmes, with an island 
in the centre, and situated at some distance to the 
east of Tombuctoo. I have never been able to 
meet with any description of this lake, or any no- 
tice of the authority upon which it is laid down ; 
nor does it seem very easy to determine whether 
it be the Dibbie, or another lake lying really to the 
eastward of Tombuctoo. 
The French geographers, Delisle and D'An- 
ville, employed very peculiar diligence in improving 
the geography of this part of Africa. It is true, 
that in Delisle's map of the world, (1700,) and in 
his map of Nigritia, (1707,) he assigns to the Niger 
the same long course, from east to west, as his 
predecessors had done. He makes it, however, 
enter the sea only by the channel of the Senegal. 
The rivers Gambia and Grande he represents 
