APPENDIX. 
509 
Climate I. — Part II.— The cities contained in this se- 
cond part of the first climate are Malel and Ghana, Tirca, Ma- 
rasa, Secmara, Ghanara, Reghebil, and Semegda. From the 
city Malel to the great city Ghana, are about twelve stations, 
through sandy places and parched plains. In Ghana are two 
cities, situated on the two opposite shores of what they called 
a fresh water sea, and it is the largest, most populous, and 
wealthiest, in all the negro countries ; and thither the rich 
merchants resort, not only from all the neighbouring regions, 
but also from the remotest parts of the west. Its inhabi- 
tants are Mussulmen, and the king of it (as it is reported) de- 
rives his pedigree from Saleh, the son of Abdalla, the son of 
Hasan, the son of Hosain, the son of Aali, the son of Abu-Taleb ; 
and the king is absolute, although he pays obedience to Abba- 
saeus, emperor of the Mussulmen. He hath a palace, which is 
a strong and well fortified structure, on the bank of the Nile ; 
apartments adorned with various engravings, paintings, and 
glass windows. The aforesaid palace was built in the five 
hundred and tenth year of the Hegeira. His kingdom and 
dominions are bounded by the country of Vancara above-men- 
tioned, very famous for the plenty and excellency of its gold 
mines. And from the confirmed reports of the people who 
come from the remote part of the west, it is certain that there 
is in the palace of the king an entire lump of gold, not cast, 
nor wrought by any instruments, but perfectly formed by the 
divine Providence only, of thirty pounds weight, which has 
been bored through, and fitted for a seat to the royal throne : 
And truly it is a most extraordinary thing, granted to no 
other but to him, by which he procures to himself a peculiar 
glory, in comparison of all the Negro kings. And that king, 
as is reported, is the most just of all men ; no other king has so 
many captains, who every morning come to his house on horse- 
back, and one of these carrying a drum beats it, nor is he si- 
lent till the king conies down to the palace gate ; and when 
