J94 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
12 journies at 18 miles, give but a horizontal distance of 144 B, 
miles, wherefore, I should think the northern bank of the lake 
Dibbir, is not so high as it has been hitherto drawn, and the path 
so distant as not to be deflected by any curve of the lake. Tim- 
buctoo was described as a large city, but inferior to Houssa, and 
not comparable with Bornoo. The Moorish influence was said to 
be powerful, but not superior. A small river goes nearly round 
the town, overflowing in the rains, and obliging the people of the 
suburbs to move to an eminence in the centre of the town, where 
the King lives. This is, probably, the smaller river described by 
Sidi Hamet as close to the town. Leo says, when the Niger risesj 
the waters flow through certain canals to the city. There "Were 
very few muskets to be seen; the King, a Mjoorish Negro called 
Billabahada, had a few double barrelled guns, which were only 
fired at customs, and gunpowder was almost as valuable as gold. 
The two latter circumstances, besides the name of the river, were 
all that I recognised in their reports confirming the description 
given by Adams, which I conceive to be as inadequate as those 
collected by Mr. Jackson are extravagant.* The three last Kings 
before Billa, were Osamana, Dawoolloo, and Abass. Mr. Jackson 
says there was a King Woollo reigning in 1800, and a Moor who 
had come from Timbuctoo to Coomassie ten years ago, did not 
* The following sentence in the description of Leo, conveys an idea of the decline or 
decay of the city. " Cujus domus omnes in tuguriola cretacea stramineis tectis 
mufafce.'" Yet immediately after we receive the contrary impression on reading " Visitor 
lamen eleganti&simum quoddam templum cujus murus ex lapidibus atque calce vivo est 
fabricatus : deinde et palacium quoddam regium quodam Granato viro artificissimo con_ 
ditum. Frequentissimse hie sunt artificum mercatorum praecipue autem tel^ atque 
gossypii textorura officinae ; hue mercatores Barbari pannum ex Europa adferunt." In 
the Description de I'Afrique en Flamand, published about a century and a half after- 
wards, the author seems to be aware of the advanced decline or decay of Timbuctoo. 
>' Les maisons etoient autrefois fort sumptueuses, mais elles ne sent maintenant que de 
bois enduites de terre grasse et couvertes de pailie." 
