166 DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH. 
bary merchants, that the Moors, after travelling 
southwards over a vast expanse of desert, came 
to the regions of Tombuctoo and Gago,* in 
which gold was abundant. From these premises, 
it was very fairly inferred, that by ascending the 
Gambia, which, as one of the mouths of the 
Niger, was supposed to lead into the farthest 
* On the 1st of August 1594, a merchant in Morocco wrote 
to his friend in London, " That you may not think me to 
slumber in this action, wherein you would be truly and per- 
" fectly resolved, you shall understand, that not ten days past 
here came a Cahaia of the Andaluzes home from Gago, and 
" another principal Moore, whom the king sent thither at first 
with Alcaide Hamode, and they brought with them thirty 
" mules laden with gold." On the 30th August, the same 
person writes, " There went with Alcaide Hamode, for these 
" parts, seventeen hundred men ; who passing over the sands, 
" for want of water, perished one-third part of them ; and at 
their coming to the city of Tombuctoo, the negroes made 
" some resistance ; but to small purpose, for that they had no 
defence but with their asagaies and javelings poisoned. So 
" they took it, and proceeded to the city of Gago, where the 
negroes were in number infinite, and meant to stand to the 
" uttermost for their country ; but the Moors slew them so 
" fast, that they were fain to yield, and to pay tribute by the 
" yere. The rent of Tombuctoo is 60 quintals of gold by the 
yere ; the goodness whereof you know. The report is, that 
" Mahomet bringeth with him such an infinite treasure, as I 
" never heard of ; it doth appear, that they have more gold 
" than any other part of the world beside. The king of Ma- 
" rocco is like to be the greatest prince in the world for 
" money, if he keepe this country." — Hakluyt, Vol. II. Part 
II. p. 192e 
