440 
horneman's travels. 
and goat are the most numerous. The population 
is not supposed to exceed 70,000 or 7'^jOOO in- 
habitants. Manufactures are in the rudest state ; 
nor does the country contain a good artificer of 
any description. The commerce is, however, 
considerable; but chiefly of transit, in conse- 
quence of the central situation of Fezzan. It 
forms the medium of communication between 
Egypt and Marocco, between Barbary and Nigri- 
tia. From October to February Mourzouk is a 
species of rendezvous for merchants from every 
part of Africa. This trade, however, is rather 
carried on by the tribes immediately bordering 
on Fezzan, the Tibbo, Tuarick, the people of 
Augila, and Cashna, than by the inhabitants of 
Fezzan itself. The king, though tributary to 
Tripoli, is entirely absolute within his own terri- 
tory ; and the taxes are often levied in a very 
arbitrary and oppressive manner. The people of 
Fezzan are abstemious in regard to food, but are 
much addicted to drunkenness, and their manners 
in other respects extremely licentious. They 
universally profess the Mahometan religion. 
Mr Horneman obtained considerable informa- 
tion concerning the tribes, who fill the habitable 
portions of the vast desert which intervenes be- 
tween Fezzan, Bornou, and Cashna. These con- 
sist of two classes of nations, called the Tibbo and 
the Tuarick. The Tibbo extend along the south- 
