I Was Shown Quivers And Arrows Of Very Curious
Workmanship, Which I Was Informed Came From The Kingdom Of Kassina.
On the northern bank of the Niger, at a short distance from Silla, is the
kingdom of Masina, which is inhabited by Foulahs.
They employ themselves
there, as in other places, chiefly in pasturage, and pay an annual
tribute to the King of Bambarra for the lands which they occupy.
To the north-east of Masina is situated the kingdom of Tombuctoo, the
great object of European research, the capital of this kingdom being one
of the principal marts for that extensive commerce which the Moors carry
on with the Negroes. The hopes of acquiring wealth in this pursuit, and
zeal for propagating their religion, have filled this extensive city with
Moors and Mahomedan converts; the king himself, and all the chief
officers of state, are Moors, and they are said to be more severe and
intolerant in their principles than any other of the Moorish tribes in
this part of Africa. I was informed by a venerable old Negro, that when
he first visited Tombuctoo, he took up his lodging at a sort of public
inn, the landlord of which, when he conducted him into his hut, spread a
mat on the floor, and laid a rope upon it, saying, "If you are a
Mussulman you are my friend, sit down; but if you are a Kafir, you are my
slave, and with this rope I will lead you to market." The present King of
Tombuctoo is named _Abu Abrahima_; he is reported to possess immense
riches. His wives and concubines are said to be clothed in silk, and the
chief officers of state live in considerable splendour. The whole expense
of his government is defrayed, as I was told, by a tax upon merchandize,
which is collected at the gates of the city.
The city of Houssa (the capital of a large kingdom of the same name,
situated to the eastward of Tombuctoo) is another great mart for Moorish
commerce. I conversed with many merchants who had visited that city, and
they all agreed that it is larger and more populous than Tombuctoo. The
trade, police, and government, are nearly the same in both; but in Houssa
the Negroes are in greater proportion to the Moors, and have some share
in the government.
Concerning the small kingdom of Jinbala, I was not able to collect much
information. The soil is said to be remarkably fertile, and the whole
country so full of creeks and swamps, that the Moors have hitherto been
baffled in every attempt to subdue it. The inhabitants are Negroes, and
some of them are said to live in considerable affluence, particularly
those near the capital, which is a resting-place for such merchants as
transport goods from Tombuctoo to the western parts of Africa.
To the southward of Jinbala is situated the Negro kingdom of Gotto, which
is said to be of great extent. It was formerly divided into a number of
petty states which were governed by their own chiefs; but their private
quarrels invited invasion from the neighbouring kingdoms.
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