GOVERNMENT AT tOMBUCTOO. 
508 
and negroes well armed, and sets even the em- 
peror of Morocco at defiance. 
Adams spent some time at Mogadore with M. 
Dupuis, who seems to have examined him very 
narrowly on the subject of his adventures, and 
particularly of what he had seen at Tombuctoo. 
He confronted him also with several of the Bar- 
bary merchants, who had been there, and who all 
expressed a favourable opinion of his veracity. 
He soon after sailed from Tangier for Cadiz, 
Before closing this chapter, it may not be im- 
proper to make some observations on the view 
"which Adams has given of the political state of 
Tombuctoo, and in which he has differed so wide- 
ly from the ideas which preceding travellers had 
conveyed to Europe. 
In comparing Tombuctoo, as to the ground on 
which it stands, with Lisbon, Adams has given 
an idea of its extent fully equal to what we could 
have anticipated ; for Lisbon is perhaps equal in 
this respect to any city of Europe, except London 
and Paris. In regard to its splendour, however, 
and to the state of the arts, it certainly differs 
very widely from what we had been taught to 
expect. Nothing, however, could be more natu- 
ral than that exaggerated reports should be spread 
respecting a city so situated ; and that it should 
be viewed through that false medium in which 
remote and mysterious objects are always enve* 
