322 
THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION. 
it is uninhabited, these are gathered by the inha- 
bitants of Derna, the ancient Darnis, situated on 
the sea-coast, about the distance of 130 miles. 
Herodotus relates, that the Nasamones were ac- 
' customed to leave their cattle on the coast, while 
they proceeded into the interior, to collect dates 
on the plains of ^Egila. On the south of this 
route lies the great desert of Libya, which is 
possessed by the wandering tribe of Lebeta, or 
Levata, the Libyans of the ancients, from whom 
Africa derived its Grecian name, as they probably 
occupied the shore of Cyrene, when that coun- 
try was colonized by the Greeks. Some of the 
stragglers of this nation seem to have been seen 
by Mr Park, who mentions the Lihey, a wander- 
ing tribe, resembling the Gypsies of Europe. 
Tibesti, a mountainous district, lies on the S. E. 
of Fezzan, from which it is separated by a barren 
desert of two hundred miles. Its vales are fertile 
in corn, and its mountains afford excellent pas- 
turage. Its camels are reckoned the best in Afri- 
ca. Rain seldom falls in Tibesti, but its want is 
compensated by innumerable springs. The inha- 
bitants are rude and ferocious, and, secure in the 
strength of their native mountains, harass their 
neighbours with frequent hostilities. Though they 
traded with Fezzan in senna and camels, they fre- 
quently molested the caravans of that country on 
their journey to Bornou. At last, the king of 
