GEOGRAPHY. 
18T 
Dibbir, was invariably described as dividing in two large streams; 
the Quolla, the greater, pursuing its course south-eastward until it 
joined the Bahr Abiad, and the other branch running northward 
of east near Timbuctoo, and dividing again soon afterwards ; the 
smaller stream running northwards by Yahoodee, a place of great 
trade,* and the larger turning directly eastward, and increasing 
considerably, running to the lake Caudi or Cadi under the name of 
Gambaroo.f The Moors call the branch running by Timbuctoo 
the JoUiba, I presume figuratively, as a great water, for I was 
assured by a native of Jenne, who had frequently visited Timbuctoo, 
that this branch was called Zah-mer by the Negroes. J 
The variety of the concurrent evidence respecting the Gambaroo, 
certainly made an impression on my mind almost amounting to 
conviction. De Lisle, in his map of Africa for the use of Louis XV. 
(the accuracy of which in one point where our latest charts are in 
error, the Lagos river, will be shewn towards the close of this 
Report) makes a branch from the Niger running near Timbuctoo ; 
and what is even more to the point, writes " Gambarou ou Niger." 
It was not till sometime after my return from Ashantee, that I un- 
expectedly discovered this solitary European record of such a 
* The Moors particularly mentioned buying their writing paper there. One told me 
that the Joliba ran to a river called Hotaiba after it passed Yahoodee, which river ran 
towards Toonis. Several talked of vessels coming to Yahooc^e, navigated by white men, 
but whence I could not learn, and Brahima had never visited it, though such reports 
were familiar to him. 
■f The rivers Arauca and Capanaparo in Cuman^ form bifurcations similar to those of 
the Niger. The Arauca divides itself into two rivers, the northern one, the Arauquito, 
runs through the lake Cabullarito into the Orinoco, and the southern retaining the name 
of Arauca, also flows to the Orinoco. The Capanaparo falls into the Orinoco in twQ 
streams, the northern retaining the original name, and the southern acquiring that of 
Mina. See Humboldt's map of the eastern part of the province of Verina. 
J See note, p. 189. 
