972 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
ENQUIRY WHETHER HERODOTUS WAS 
ACQUAINTED WITH THE RIVER Jo- 
LIBA. 
[By Profefor Heeren, of Gottingen. | 
T ROM the general attention direfted 
IE in fo many refpeéts towards Africa, 
and from the many attempts undertaken 
to explore that quarter of the globe, we 
may confidently hope, that after the lapfe 
of a few years; it will no longer be to usa 
terra icuota. "The departing century de- 
livers over to the fucceeding at Jeaft the 
key to the difcovery, if it dees not trant- 
mit the di(covery itelf. The prefent, then, 
is the proper point of time, to ccl ect, put 
in order, and compare all the infermation 
we already poffels, forthe purpole of fur- 
= } x Es Tate ee RR ae pe 
nifhing 2 clue te, and faciittating future 
A 2 es . . : 1 ae ci e oj 
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; e 
ef Conqgee ars, pooctraie 
‘ment, ard ene way or other drcugn 
back with them a varicty of kn wiedge, 
zs {triking’y appears from the wiitings of 
the Gcesk geographers. But what may in 
an eflential manner excite wonder, howrich 
a treaiure of accounts has net Hercdo us, 
the fatherof hificry and geography, left us, 
concerning this quarter of the globe! Ma 
ny of them, é. g. his defcriptions of the ca- 
ravan tracks, by which the Carthagenie 
ans and Egyptians travelled through North 
A ‘ica, have only. become-clearly inielli- 
gible fince the moit recent discoveries ; al- 
moft every one of which is likewife iliuf- 
trated and confirmed by fome paflage in 
Herodotus. Another firiking example of 
this is furnifhed by the accounts of which 
Mungo Park, partly as eye-witnefs, partly 
from inquiries, has lately brought back 
with him concerning the river Foliba, 
which fiows, in the very heart of Africa, 
in a diretion from welt to eaft. Every 
reader who hasa tafte for fach refearches, 
will be agreeably furprized to find, that 
Heredatus not only knew thie moft recent 
geographica! difcovery ; but that he like- 
wife was able to give us very clear inform- 
ation concerning things, which the greateit 
geographers of the eighteenth century only 
conjecture, or which are even altogether 
unknown. I fhall here tranflate the paf- 
fage of his Hiftory, book ti. chap. 325 33, 
which relates to this fubje€t ; and endea- 
Elerodotus and the River Foliba, in Africa. 
| [Jan. 1, 
vour to illufrate it from the ** Proceedings 
of ibe African Affociation,” lately publifhed 
and from Rennei’s excellent new map of 
North Africa, annexed to that work. 
“What T have hitherto related,’” fays 
Herodotus (he had given an accurate de- 
fcription of the courfe of the Nile, higher 
up than Egypt, as far as Sennaar, and 
even as far as Gojam) I learned from 
men of Cyrene, who told me that they 
hed been at the temole of Jupiter Ammon, 
and cenverled with Etearebos, the kimg 
of the Ammonians. Among other tepies 
of converfation, they had likewife chanced- 
to difcourfe of the Nile and the remark- 
abie circumfiance that no one was ae- 
guamted with.its fources.. Etearchos had 
then faid, chat fomé men belonging to the 
Natzmones had vifited him (thefe Nafa- 
menes are a nation cf Libyan origin, and 
the borders ef the Sprizs, and in 
2 region, to the eaft, but 
cn he had inquired of 
»» wheiner they cookl not give him 
niormation concerning the deferts of 
oe, they had commu. 
i lfowing particulars : 
Among their. counitymen) fome) bold 
; of their chiefs, who 
Nad execuicd y daring encesprizes 5 
and had c-ci-n tw:ive from among them, 
by lot, «ho fhou’c undertake a journey of 
difecvery into the defert part of Africa, 
and endeavour to explore more of it than 
thefe who had penetrated the fartheft be- 
fore them. ‘Phe young men then had ft 
out, abundantly provided with water, and 
provifions ; and firf had travelled through 
the inhabiied country (Coaff of Barbary); 
after which, they had arrived at the part of 
Africa that abounds with wild beafts (Bi- 
ledulgerid} ; but thence they had conti- 
nued their journey through the delert, pro. 
ceeding in a fouth-wieft dirediion. After 
they had, during many days, wandered 
through an extenfive fandy region, they 
had, at iaft, efpied fome trees in a field, 
had made towards them, and plucked the 
fruit from the trees. Men of a fmaller 
ftature than common had then come to 
them, had received them kindly, and 
became their guides. But they underftood 
not their Janguage, nor their conductors 
the language of the Nafamones. But they 
had led them through wery extenfive marfby 
regions; and after they had travelled 
through thefe, tney had arrived in a ci?y, 
whofe inhabitants were all of the fame 
ftature as their conductors,aad of a colour. 
completely black. By the city flawed a large 
river, and that river ran in a@ dire&un 
Jrom weft towards the rifing of the fun; 
ane 
