APPENDIX. 
presents himself to the king, nor does he depart from his pre- 
sence till his cause be decided. In the afternoons, when the 
heat of the sun permits, he gets again on horseback, and goes 
out guarded on all sides by his soldiers : Then no admittance 
nor access is open to any one. Therefore, by a certain and 
appointed custom, he rides out twice every day. And so 
much is remarkable of his justice. He generally wears a ha- 
bit of satin, or a black mantle, after the Arabian manner, with 
drawers, and leathern sandals on his feet : He always goes on 
horseback. He has abundance of rich ornaments, and horses, 
with most sumptuous trappings, on solemn days, led before 
him. He has many troops who march each with their colours, 
under his royal banner ; elephants, camelopards, and various 
kinds of animals, which are found in the negro countries, pre- 
cede him. In fine, these people have in the Nile long boats, 
in which they practise fishing and commerce between one city 
and the other. The apparel of the people of Ghana consists 
©f cloths to cover their nakedness, and mantles. The coun- 
try of Ghana is joined on the western side with the kingdom 
of Meczara; on the east with that of Vancara ; on the north 
with the broadest desert, lying out between the countries of 
the blacks and Barbary ; on the south it joins to the Infidels*^ 
country, to wit, that of Lamlam and other inhabitants. 
From the city of Ghana to the confines of the country of 
Vancara is a journey of eight days ; and Vancara is most fa- 
mous for the excellency and plenty of gold. It is an island of 
three hundred miles in length, and one hundred and fifty in 
breadth, which the Nile surrounds all the year. But the 
month of August approaching, and the scorching heat increas- 
ing, and the Nile overflowing, that island, or, at least, the 
greater part of it, is covered over with water, and remains so 
as long as the Nile continues to overflow. But when the 
waters decrease, and the Nile begins to retire into its proper 
channel, all who are in the kingdom of the blacks, living in 
tiiose islands, return to their habitation ; and during the whale 
