Bochara, Balk, Samarcand, Caubul,
India, And China, Were Visited By Him:
He even ventured to explore several
of the Indian islands; crossed the mountains of Thibet, traversed India,
and then, taking shipping, went to Java.
He again visited China, and
returned thence by Calicut, Yeman, Bagdad, and Damascus, to Cairo. After
having visited Spain, he directed his travels to Africa; reached the
capital of Morocco, and thence as far as Sodjalmasa. From this place he
crossed the Desert with the slave merchants to Taghary - twenty-five days
journey: he represents the houses here as built of rock salt, and covered
with camel skins. For twenty days more he crossed a desert without water or
trees, and the sand of which was so loose, that it left no traces of
footsteps. He now arrived at the frontier town of Soudan. After travelling
for some time longer, he reached the banks of the Niger, which, according
to the information he received, flowed into the Nile at the second
cataract. He visited Tombuctoo and other places in this part of Africa, and
finished his travels at Fez.
We shall now conclude our account of the Arabians, with a connected and
condensed view of their geographical knowledge.
It is natural to suppose that they would be best acquainted with those
countries which had embraced the faith of Mahomet; and that the prejudices
and contempt with which his disciples have always regarded Christians, and,
indeed, all who were of a different religion, would stand in the way of
their seeking or acquiring information respecting those portions of the
globe, the inhabitants of which were not of their faith.
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