JACKSON TOMBUCTOO. 
455 
it appears original, and is probably correct in 
many of its features. 
Tombuctoo is situated on a plain surrounded 
by sandy eminences. It is twelve miles in cir- 
cumference, but not surrounded by walls. The 
houses are spacious, and built in a quadrangular 
form, but have no upper rooms, and even no 
windows, being entirely lighted from the doors, 
which are wide and lofty. Ten miles to the 
south lies Cabra, the port of Tombuctoo, situated 
upon the Nile Abide, or Nile of the Negroes, 
which is here as broad as the Thames at London. 
It passes on to Houssa, 1000 miles to the east- 
ward, and witli which a considerable trade is 
carried on. Fifteen days' journey to the east of 
Tombuctoo, is an immense lake called the Sea of 
Soudan, the shores of which are inhabited by a 
race of men who are white and Christians, and 
who trade in larger vessels than are used upon the 
river. They are probably the Tagama Tuarick 
of Horneman. Tombuctoo is described by Mr 
Jackson as subject to Bambarra, but the internal 
police of the city to be in the hands of the Moors. 
All religions are tolerated, except the Jewish. 
The profits on the trade to Tombuctoo were said 
to be so great, that 5000 dollars invested in 
European produce at Mogadore or Fez, would 
in a year or two produce a return of ^^0,000. 
