TOMBUCTOO AND JENNE. 61 
vented apparently such an idea from ever occur- 
ring to them. Di Barros only express;.s his sur- 
prise, considering this immense length of course, 
that the Senegal should not pour a greater mass 
of waters into the ocean. 
The banks of this great river are fertile, and 
covered with populous and commercial cities» 
The principal is Tombuctoo, situated three 
leagues to the north of the river, and which, on 
account of the gold brought thither from the 
great province of Mandingo, is resorted to by 
numerous merchants from Cairo, Tunis, Treme- 
cen, Morocco, Fez, and all the kingdoms of Nor- 
thern Africa. These repair also to another city, 
situated on the course of the river itself, and 
which was formerly more celebrated than Tom- 
buctoo. It is called variously by the Negroes 
Genua, Jannii, and Gennii (Jenne of Park). This 
city, as being situated farther to the west than 
Tombuctoo, forms a species of rendezvous for all 
the nations which are nearest to the coast ; the 
Caragolees, Foulhas, Brabariis, Luddayes, and 
JalofFs. Through the channel of these people, as 
well as of those situated near the head of the 
Gambia, and also of those bordering on the castle 
of Mina, gold came into the hands of the Portu- 
guese. Yet Di Barros asserts, with, I suspect, 
very little reason, that the Gambia and the Sene- 
gal do not roll a greater quantity of golden sand 
