146 
TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. III. 
Tembuctoo is governed by a King or Sultan, who has but little 
power. The people are all blacks, and dress like the natives of 
many parts of Soudan ; the better class in shirts and trowsers, while 
the poorer order are nearly naked. Gold, cotton clothes, leather, 
and arms, are the principal manufactures of Tembuctoo and the 
surrounding villages. Jenne is said to be the place from which 
gold comes, and is thence called Bledd el Tibbr ^1 jjj, or the 
country of gold. 
I could obtain no account of Mr. Park, but every one agreed 
that it would be quite impossible (the buildings being so small and 
ill constructed) for him or any other white man to be confined in 
the town unknown to the traders, who enter every house, not ex- 
cepting that of the Sultan himself. This, I think, entirely confutes 
the idea that Mr. Park has been, or is still confined by the Sultan, 
on account of his skill in surgery ; and there is equal reason to 
doubt liis being in existence, which some have supposed. Many 
Jews trade from Morocco, which, as they differ from the Moham- 
medans in their customs, has given rise to the report that there are 
Christians in the country ; they are said to be circumcised, eat no 
pork, kill their animals in a pecuUar way, and neither acknowledge 
Christ nor Mohammed. A nation of these people is said to exist 
south of Tembuctoo, the language of which place is peculiar to 
itself, — though Arabic is a little spoken ; the people are regarded as 
good Moslems. 
Language of Tembuctoo. 
Boy 
Girl 
Hand 
Head 
Iron 
Man 
Woman 
Ahinda. Eye 
Afintoo. Ass 
Abeny. ' Camel 
Aterry. Goat 
Akhood. Sheep 
Agodi. Gold 
Azeli. Pillow 
Aiti. 
Ehaid. 
Elgimmo. 
Egghsi. 
TaiU. 
Agreef dodi. 
Kote. 
