1800:] 
as far as our information yet reaches, in 
inland Jakes and marhhes, which Major 
Rennel looks for in the diftrifts of Wan- 
gara and Ghana (or Cafhna). We ‘are 
told of one fuch lake in Ghana, and of 
three in Wangara. Thefe obfervations 
throw a clear light on the circumftance re- 
lated by Herodotus, that the Nafamones 
had been conduéted through great marfhy 
tracts (2An weyers). Without pafling 
through fuch traéts, they could not poffi- 
bly reach the Joliba. 
therefore, marked Wangara and Ghana 
as marfhy countries: they lie, however, 
too far to the eaft, for us, with ary de- 
gree of probability, to fuppofe that the 
adventurous Nafamones had come thither. 
But then we are yet wholly ignorant how 
far thefe marfhes extend to the weft: 
from the nature and fituation of the coun- 
try we may reafonably conclude, that they 
ftretch along the greater part of the river. 
_All that Major Rennel has faid concern- 
ing the lower or eaftern half of the Joliba, 
whither no European has yet penetrated, is 
- Mo more than conjecture drawn from in- 
genious combinations; and it certainly is 
a furprifing phenomenon, that what the 
greateft geographer at the end of tne eigh- 
teenth century fo happily conjectures, the 
earlie(t of hiitorians and geographers was 
already enabled to defcribe in exprefs 
terms and to relate on good authority. 
It cannot now be determined with cer- 
tainty which was the cify to which the 
Nafamones came: however, we probably 
ought to look for it between Tombuciu and 
Ca/bna. . That, befides thefe cities, there 
are at prefent likewife others onthe banks 
of the Foliba, fuch as Huffa, Tocrur, &c. 
we know: the exiftence, therefore, of a 
city here, even in thofe ancient times, would 
not feem to be any thing itrange or in- 
credible. 
A third indication given by Herodotus, 
is, that the river. contains crocodiles. Here 
the father of hiftory knows more than even 
our lateft travellers, in none of whole 
works I recolleét to have feen any inform- 
ation relative to this circumfance. It is 
probable that thefe creatures infeit only 
the lower part of the Joliba ; and the nar- 
rations of Herodotus, which have fo often 
and fo ftrikingly been illuftrated and coa- 
firmed by new difcoveries, will, without 
doubt, be found true with refpeét to the 
exiftence of crocodiles in the Joliba, when- 
ever another travelier fhall be able to pe- 
netra‘e into thofe diftant regions. 
The conjecture which Herodotus adds 
at the end, and in which he coincides with 
the king of the Ammonians, (but which, 
Major Renne] has,. 
Mr. Weed on Provifion for the Poor. 975 
however, is merely a fuppofition), that 
the river he had been treating of was the 
Nile, is conneéted with his hypothefis of 
the courfe of the latter. It is, namely, 
one of the moft fingular of phenomena, 
that Herodetus defcribes the courfe and 
ftate of the Nile above Egypt to near its 
fources, with an accuracy which has hard. 
ly been attained by any fucceeding writer: 
only that he is miftaken with refpeé to 
the direction of this river; as he believes, 
that, until its entrance into Egypt, it 
flows obliquely throngh Libya from weft 
to eat. This error cannot be otherwife 
well accounted for, except by fuppofing 
that Herodotus had confounded the (either 
really, or only in imagination: exifling) 
weftern branch of the Nile, or the Nile of 
the Negroes, with the main ftream flow- 
ing from the fouth. The belief of the 
exiftence of fuch a weftern branch, as ap- 
pears from the narrative of Herodotus, 
was then already generally prevalent in 
Africa. That the Joliba, however, is not 
this river, and that confequently Herodo- 
tus was miftaken in his conjecture, feems, 
at prefent, no longer to admit of a doubt. 
But the non-exiftence of fuch a ftream is 
yet far from being proved: on the con- 
trary, the belief of its exiftence has fo con- 
ftantly and invariably prevailed through 
out all antiquity and the middle ages, that 
here too we muft wait for further difcove- 
ries, before we can venture to givea final 
decifion. 
SS 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
T a feafon when the advanced price 
of provifions, particularly corn, has 
led to the adoption of feveral plans for 
relieving the diftrefles of the poor, it may 
be of ule to communicate fuch as have ob- 
tained the fanction of experience, and been 
found productive of very important advan~ 
tages. A moderate fund, judicioufly ap 
plied, will furnifh mush more extenfive 
and durable relief, than double the amount 
inconfiderately difpofed of or diftributed. 
If you are of opinion that a publication 
of the following details will be of any ule, 
you will give them a place in the next 
number of your valuable mifcellany. 
I am, Sir, 
Your humble Servant, 
Shrew/fbury, Dec. 17, 1799: J. Wooo. 
Inthe year1783, a fubfcription amount. 
ing to- upwards of two thoufand pounds 
was raifed at Shrewfbury for the purpofe 
of purchafing corn in the fea-ports, in 
order to check the baneful {pirit of mono- 
poly, and reduce the very exorbitant price 
612 that 

