Chapter I (2)

From Timbuctoo[36] to Houssa is 20 journies; the three first through a woody country, and over the branch of the Niger to Azibbie, the frontier town. Houssa was said to be the largest city north or south of the Quolla, except Bornoo; the Moorish influence to have been established there beyond memory, and the King’s name Serragkee. Cabi is not the name of the kingdom, but of a large dependent town and district on the Niger. Mallowa, or Marrowa, as the Negroes pronounce it, (for they seemed invariably to substitute _r_ for the _l_ of the Moors, as Quorra for Quolla)[37] is the next extensive in its limits to Bornoo. It is, no doubt, the kingdom of Mellè, misplaced by Leo, and reported to Cadamosto in 1455, as 30 journies beyond Timbuctoo. Major Rennell observes, “we should naturally look for it on the eastward of Timbuctoo,” and it has only been placed south eastward, and south of the Niger, because Edrisi has a city called Malel thereabouts, though he calls the name of the kingdom of which it is the capital Lamlam, which Hartman would reconcile by supposing it to be a transposition of Malel, certainly a forced conjecture.[38] A large town called Mahalaba is the nearest I have found to Malel, to be noticed on the route from Dagwumba to the Niger.[39] In speaking of all fortified cities, the negroes of Mallowa invariably prefixed Berinnë or Brinnë to the name, as an indication that they were so; this was always the case in mentioning Houssa, Cabi, Cassina, Katinna, &c. &c. I shall place the numerals of Cassina, as written by Mr. Lucas after the Shereef Imhammed, to the right of those of Houssa or Mallowa, from their close affinity, perhaps identity; for this language is spoken far eastward, and the Shereef, as we shall presently see, was rather inaccurate in his recollection of the numerals of Bornoo.

One Daia Deiyah.

Two Beeyoo Beeyou.

Three Okoo Okoo.

Four Odoo Foodoo.

Five Beä Beat.

Six Seddah Sheedah.

Seven Becquay Bookai.

Eight Tacquass Takoos.

Nine Tarra Tarrah.

Ten Gwoma Goumah.

Two large lakes were described close to the northward of Houssa, one called Balahar Soudan, and the other Girrigi Marragasee. Calculating the 20 journies from Timbuctoo at 18 miles each, supposing two-thirds to be made good on the horizontal distance (equal to 212 g. miles) and the course N.E., I have placed Houssa, 18° 59′ N. and 3° 59′ E. This agrees pretty well with the account of its being 17 journies from the Niger, or Quolla, which give 306 B. miles, and the horizontal distance 176 g. miles. Houssa has hitherto been laid down about 2 journies N. of the Niger. I have an impression that the city of Houssa will be found to lay about E.N.E. of Timbuctoo, of course nearer the Gambaroo, which runs through its dominions, and thus account for the reports of its being situated upon the Niger. Leo certainly meant Mallowa and the Gambaroo, when he wrote, “Melli regio quæ extendit se ad flumen quoddam quod ex Nilo (i.e. Nigro) effluit trecenta millia passuum,” adding, “regnum opulentissimum, maximè artificum et mercatorum copia, frequentia templa, sacerdotes et populus qui Nigritas omnes civilitate antecedunt;” which they certainly appear to do: see a few of their articles for the British Museum. May not the Maurali of Ptolemy be the Melli of Leo, and the modern Mallowa or Marrowa? his large adjunct to the Niger to the south indicates the two rivers. Major Rennell seems to have expected the present discovery, when he writes (commenting on Mr. Park’s report that Houssa was 30 journies by land from Tombuctoo, and 45 by water) “Possibly it may be that Houssa is situated on a different river from that which passes by Tombuctoo (the Joliba,) but which may be an adjunct of it, and may run into it in the quarter of Tombuctoo.” In Dapper’s translation of the Description De l’Afrique du Flamand, 1686, I find “Cette contreé (Melli) s’etend environ cent lieuës _le long d’un bras_ du Niger.”

Tarrabaleese, 50 journies westward of north, was much spoken of from the number of its market places. This must be Tripoli, the Arabic corruption of which is Trabŏlis. The Moors gave me a route to Tunis or Toonis, but I cannot recognise any name in Major Rennell’s map, (which I could not procure until my return,) unless Sabbai be Sebba, and Mookanassa Mourzouk, in Fezzan. There is also another route eastward which I cannot trace. See Appendix.

From Kabarra the Quolla, continuing its course southward of east, passed by Uzzalin, Googara,[40] Koolmanna, Gauw, Tokogirri, (perhaps the Tokrur of Edrisi and Gatterer) Askeä, Zabirmë, and Cabi to Yaoora, which I imagine to be the Youri of Major Rennell’s map.[41] De Lisle places a kingdom, Yaouree, south of the Niger. It is a very celebrated ferry, occurring in a variety of routes from the north of the Quolla to Ashantee, spoken of always as westward of Cassina, and with little variation as 25 journies from Timbuctoo. Now as the Moors called it one day’s journey from Sego to Sansanding, and Mr. Park made it scarcely more, I will assume this as the rule to calculate the distance from Timbuctoo to Yaooree, and afterwards consider its place according to the routes from Dagwumba, through it, to Cassina. Twenty five journies from Timbuctoo would place Yaoora about 70 miles above the Berrisa in Major Rennell’s map, but this makes the horizontal distance from Yaoora to Dagwumba about 850 B. miles, and therefore too great for 42 journies, the greatest number allowed in the routes from Dagwumba to Yaoora.

I would not presume to investigate after Major Rennell, it would be absurd in me to expect to throw any new interest into the discussion, but by making clear the accounts I collected; to do which I must decline the course of the Niger from Cabi (Mr. Horneman writes it flows southward from Haoussa) even to a junction with the Bahr Kulla. For, placing Yaoora in 13° 30′ N. and 8° 30′ E. in conformity with its distance from Timbuctoo and a declining course to the Kulla, the horizontal distance to Yahndi, the capital of Dagwumba, will be 600 B. miles: now 42 journies, the greatest number allowed by the travellers, at 20 miles each, (rejecting one third, as heretofore, lost in the windings of the path) give the horizontal distance at 560 B. miles. This is certainly an additional argument to the similarity of the names Quolla and Kulla, for the identity of these rivers; but not so strong a one as that the routes both of Moors and Negroes, allow but 40 journies from Dagwumba to the point of crossing the Niger for Houssa. The course to this point was described by the Moors as a little to the eastward of north: now 40 journies on a N.N.E. course, by the former rule, places this ferry 15° 1′ N. and 3° 33′ E. agreeing very well with our previous position of Houssa, and proving that the course of the Niger must decline considerably, for more than two extra journies would otherwise be required for the north eastward route from Dagwumba to Yaoora. Major Rennell only writes that the course of the Niger is _probably_ to Wangara. Mr. Ledyard, in his comparatively minute description of that country, (which I shall notice in the route to Bornoo) says nothing of its bordering on the Niger. Major Rennell, in the construction of the geography of Mr. Horneman’s report, writes, “M. D’Anville also had an idea, and so describes it in his map of Africa, 1749 (possibly from actual information,) that the Niger declined to the south beyond Gana, so that the termination of it in the lake Semegonda was 3½ degrees of latitude to the south of Gana.” There is a kingdom called Kulla as well as a river, and there is also a kingdom Quollaraba: raba being probably no more than an adjunct equal to the prefix dar, and signifying a kingdom. Mr. Dupuis, in his notes on Adams, says of an intelligent Negro, “his account was chiefly curious from his description of a nation which he called Gallo or _Quallo_, which conveyed to me an idea of a people, more advanced in the arts, and wealthier than any that I had previously heard of: within three days journey of the capital was a large lake or river which communicated with the Wed Nile.” The commended arguments of the Quarterly Review, (which I have never had the advantage of reading,) must be in a great degree auxiliary, in arguing, to support the Congo hypothesis, a course of the Niger equally declined with that which I have followed for the identity of the Quolla and Kulla. The junction of the Quolla with the Bahr Abiad, or Nil, as the Moors called it, cannot be more descriptively expressed, according to every account I received, than in the words of Mr. Horneman. “Some days past I spoke to a man who had seen Mr. Brown in Darfoor, he gave me some information respecting the countries he travelled through, and told me that the communication of the Niger with the Nile was not to be doubted, but that this communication before the rainy season was very little.”[42]

We will pursue the course of the Quolla from Yaoora (where I should judge from description it must be about 3 miles wide) before we apply the routes northward of it.[43] One journey eastward of Yaoora, (sometimes called Yawooree by the Negroes,) it passed Nooffie, doubtless the Nyffe of Mr. Horneman and others, and which De Lisle has written Nouffy: 3 journies thence it passed Boussa, which Amadi Fatouma reported, as it was to me also (see Diary) as the place of Mr. Park’s death, but I could hear nothing of the rock and door. Boussa is not in Major Rennell’s map, but I observed Bousa in the map of De Lisle before alluded to; it is probably the Berrisa of Edrisi. Twelve journies thence it passed Atagara, but, previously, Hoomee, and Rakkah.[44] Southward of the latter, they described an inland country called Koofee, possibly Kosie, a country I shall presently introduce, as visited by a mulatto, behind Lagos. Thirty journies from Atagara, it flowed through the kingdom of Quollaraba,[45] which thus falls precisely where Major Rennell has laid down the kingdom of Kulla. Six journies thence it passed Mafeegoodoo, and 13 journies beyond, the lake Cadee or Caudee. This I should consider to be the Cauga of Edrisi, which Major Rennell has identified with the Fittri of Mr. Brown, for into this the second large branch of the Niger, or the river Gambaroo, is said to run; but it is considerably too much to the southward for the Cauga in Major Rennell’s map, being, according to the accounts of the Moors, only 3 journies northward of the Quolla: yet Edrisi writes “besides a river of the name of Nile or Neel _passes by_ Kauga.” What inclines me to think the Cauga may be more distant from Bornoo the capital, though not from the frontier of that kingdom, (15 journies being the number reported to me as well as to Mr. Brown) is, that the Negroes of that city were not so well acquainted with this lake as the Moors. My sketch in the map, of course, represents the sketches and descriptions of the natives. They described the Cadee or Caudee as an immense water, like a small sea, frequently overflowing the neighbouring country, and sometimes so convulsed as to throw up large quantities of fish and other contents; meaning, in short, a volcanic lake. The Moors called it also the Bahr el Noä, having a tradition that the waters of the deluge retired to, and were absorbed in it. A very high mountain was spoken of, at an equal distance between the Caudee and the Quolla.[46] Twelve journies from Caudee, the Quolla received the river Sharee from northward, which, I imagine, if not the Misselad, may be a river deriving its name from the Abu Shareb of Major Rennell’s map. The Quolla was said to pass to the southward of Bagarrimee, (the Baghermee of Mr. Brown.) Kalafarradoo, (I cannot find any name nearer to this than the Courourfa of De Lisle, and Kororfa, said in Mr. Beaufoy’s MSS. to be W. of Begarmee). Foör (Darfur, according to Mr. Brown, means the kingdom of Foör) and lastly to skirt Waddaï, the Waddey of Mr. Horneman, who wrote that it was east of Begharmee, and west of Darfoor; but, as it was reported to me east of Darfoor, by every person, and as Mr. Brown did not hear of it to adjust its position, I have placed it so.[47]

The junction with the Nile having taken place, as Mr. Horneman before reported, south of Darfoor, they continued the course to a large country called Soonar,[48] indisputably the kingdom of Sennaar. Hence to Massar,[49] or Egypt, they did not always agree themselves in the various names, nor can I recognise any on the map, unless their Shewa Abenhassa be Bennassa, Minsoor, Misur, Gammeacha, Gammazie; Sooess, Sohaig; Kaheea, Kahoul; Zaragoo, Nayazoogoo; and their Lamabalara, in the country of Egypt, the Bahr be la ma of Mr. Horneman; of the latter there can be no doubt.[50]

My friend, the Shereef Brahima had, as well as some others, been to Mecca and Medina. I place great reliance on this man’s information (invariably confirmed by the Negroes) from his caution and diffidence, and my experience of his character; for he was ultimately a valuable friend to the Mission: he was the only Moor who dared to refuse to be present at human sacrifices. The MS. No. 2. is his writing, and professedly the route from Dagwumba through Bornoo to Massar,[51] it consists of six pages well written. This would have been a valuable man to have engaged to travel through the interior, for he was capable of making circumstantial minutes, and I think he might have been engaged to do so by a moderate Fort pay. The Moors talk much of the King of Santambool,[52] as a powerful monarch and formidable to the Christians.

It will excite surprise that I heard nothing of Wangara,[53] as was the case with Mr. Brown, not even after I had, contrary to my general custom, submitted the name: but I heard very much spontaneously of Oongooroo. Mr. Horneman called Wangara, Ungura, and De Lisle, Ouangara, we shall find it in the route from Yaoora to Bornoo or Barranoo. Bornoo was described to me about north-east from Yaoora, which agrees very well with Major Rennell’s position, established beyond all contradiction short of an observation, but, the horizontal distance, (lowering the place of Yaoora as I have done) thence to Bornoo would be upwards of 1000 B. miles, whereas they described it to be but 51 journies, which allowing 20 miles to each, as the country was said to be much more favourable to travelling, and the path more direct than that we came, would give but an horizontal distance of 680 B. miles. Mr. Horneman heard that Bornu was but 15 journies from Kassina; I was told 33 if walked, 19 if rode. Major Rennell has made the distance about 30 journies, considering the 15 journies applicable to the western boundaries of the empire, and not to the capital.

We will now return to Yahndi and proceed northwards to Houssa. Nineteen journies from Yahndi is Matchaquawdie, six beyond is Goorooma, 10 thence Dolooë, subject to Goorooma, and only five journies from the Quolla, described as about two miles wide there. When Amadi Fatouma mentioned that he passed Gourouma, I should suppose he meant this kingdom of Goorooma, Dolooë, as subject to it, being probably included under that name. I must impress, however, that this northern route from Dagwumba to the Niger, being, with that from Kong to Jennë, the only ones unauthenticated, otherwise than by cross examination, I do not report them with the same confidence, which I do the others. Two journies from the northern bank of the Quolla is Gamhadi, to which three large towns belong, Dogondaghi, Toodonkassalee, and Toompasseä, and numerous dependent crooms. There were three routes from Gamhadi, the first northward to Houssa 15 journies, passing the large river Gambaroo the ninth, between which and Houssa is a district called Zessa. The second route is to Katinnee, a city and state of the Mallowa kingdom, one month from the Quolla. On this route the Gambaroo is crossed the tenth day, and Sowhoondë, Souoola, (perhaps Sala) Quattaraquassee, Doorooma, Soroo, Zabbakou, Dinka, Doochingamza, and Dammisamia were mentioned as large towns on the route. The third route was through the Fillanee country, (doubtless the Fullan[54] of Ben Ali) which had been frequently at war with Mallowa, to the kingdom of Kallaghee, 14 journies from the Quolla, the Gambaroo being passed the tenth. The numerals of Kallaghee are

One Gadee.

Two Sillil.

Three Quan.

Four Foolloo.

Five Vydee.

Six Zoodoo.

Seven Etkassa.

Eight Shiddowka.

Nine Woollaä.

Ten Woma.

A country called Barrabadi was described eastward of Mallowa, between it and Bornoo; its numerals corresponded with those of Bornoo.

We will now return again to Dagwumba, and follow the route thence, over the Quolla, through Yaoora to Bornoo. Gamba we have already described as five journies north eastward of Yahndi, thence two journies, over a high mountain called Yerim, and across a river running southwards (which the Moors called Mory, but which it would seem is the continuation of the Karhala) is Gooroosie, four journies thence Zoogoo, probably the Zeggo of Major Rennell’s map; 10 farther the kingdom of Barragoo. De Lisle has placed his kingdom of Bourgou thereabouts. North-westward of Barragoo is Koomba, the Kombah of Major Rennell’s map. The position of this kingdom is pretty well ascertained, because those who came from it, described Goorooma as its northern neighbour, and Barragoo to be the first kingdom passed through in their journies to the coast below Whydah. Eight journies from Barragoo is Toombeä, three beyond is Goodoobirree. A river running to the Quolla (as it was said, but more probably from it) called Leeäsa, flows close to the eastward of this path, and is crossed, going from Goodoobirree southwards, to a large kingdom called Yariba by the Moors, but Yarba more generally by the natives. Major Rennell has drawn a river communicating with the Niger close to Youri, so has De Lisle. This river Leeäsa is the only one I heard of, answering in the least degree to that of Sidi Hamet, but Wassana was a name unknown. Aquallie is the frontier town of Yariba, one journey from Goodoobirree, and one from Bootee, second only to the capital, Katanga, four journies beyond it. Yariba was described to be about 24 journies, through Hio, (its immediate neighbour) from Arătakassee or Alătakassee, which we shall hereafter recognise in Ardra: this determines its position pretty well.[55] Dahomey was said to be tributary to Yariba, as well as to Hio, which I have an impression is also tributary to Hio. From Hio to Dahomey is seven journies. The military are despotic in Hio, they always intercept the new King on his way to the palace, and demand his naming some neighbouring country for their invasion and plunder, before they confirm him. The King before the present, had named Dahomey, but after three years neglect of the fulfilment, he ordered the army against a northern neighbour. The army went, wasted and pillaged the country, but when within a day’s march of the capital on their return, they sent deputies to enjoin his abdication, as inevitable to a falsehood to them; he was obstinate; they arrived and cut off his head. The numerals of Hio are

One Innee.

Two Eygee.

Three Etta.

Four Ernee.

Five Aroon.

Six Effa.

Seven Eggay.

Eight Eggo.

Nine Essun.

Ten Eywaw.

The Hio man, who gave me the above numerals, spoke of the Apaccas as a more powerful northern neighbour, but I never heard of them from any other person.

Yariba must certainly be the Yarba of Imhammed, though he described it as 18 or 20 journies from Gonjah towards the N.W., for he is likely to have been incorrect in this, because we have proved him to be so, in stating, that Ashantee was the capital of Tonouwah, which appears to be a district or town of Dagwumba, the people of which kingdom are by no means warlike as he represented them, nor have they any notion of taming the elephant: he reported that Calanshee was a dependency of Ashantee, whereas no Ashantee knows the name; that Gonjah was 46 journies from the coast, when it is but 30. Major Rennell reasonably conceived the Yarba of Imhammed to be the Yarra of De Lisle, at the back of Sierra Leone, but as this country is not preserved in his own map, I presume it cannot be of much consequence, politically or commercially, whereas Yariba, indisputably eastward of Kong, is always announced to enquirers, both by Moors and Negroes, as a very powerful, and much frequented kingdom. Another argument is, that all the Moors I saw at Coomassie, were almost ignorant of the countries westward, only speaking of those their enquiries for the source of the Quolla had made known to them: indeed, I did not see one who had travelled westward, or south westward of Bambarra, but our Accra linguist told me that he had recognised a Moor at the Rio Pongos, whom he had seen in Coomassie (when sent there on the eve of the second Ashantee invasion) who told him that he had been two months travelling from Kong, and crossed a very large river. Imhammed’s Affow (if not Taffoo, or the Inta country) I conceive to be Afflou, a town and district of the Krepee or Kerrapay country, and a short walk from the sea by Quitta, westward of Yarba, as he says, but more than eight journies. The Kerrapay country, which is extensive and independent, will be described, in proceeding from Cape Coast Castle, along the coast, eastward.

_J. Walker Sculpt._]

To return to the route from Yahndi to Yaoora, three journies from Goodoobirree towards the Quolla through Gillimakafoo, Garagaroogee, and Paänghee, is the large city of Kaiama, and four beyond it, through Mahalaba, (the nearest name to the Malel of Edrisi,) Marramoo, and across the small river Wooroo, (running to the Quolla) is the city of Wauwaw,[56] three journies from the Quolla. Ten journies from the northern bank, through Yaoora, and skirting the eastern limits of Zamfara, is Goobirree, so called by the Moors, and Goobur by the Negroes.[57] Mr. Beaufoy learned that Gubur was to the south of Wangara, and De Lisle writes it Goubour. Thence to Kassina, having crossed the large river Gambaroo, is eight journies. Eighteen journies, calculated at 18 miles each on a N.E. course, from the altered position of Yaoora, would place Kassina in 15° 43′ N. and 10° 43′ E., instead of 16° N. and 11° 45′ E. Mr. Lucas learned that Kassina was five journies from the Niger, or about 100 miles from that water, which it is likely to be from the upper branch or the Gambaroo, which river skirting Kanoo, and Oongooroo, (or Wangara,) before it descends to the lake Cadee, (though I could not prove satisfactorily that it did so,) would account for Edrisi’s placing Kano, and Wangara, on the Niger.[58] From Kassina to Dawoorra is six journies: this must be the Daura of Mr. Horneman, though in the drawing of the Marrabut it is placed north of Kano. From Dawoorra to Kanoo is four journies. D’Anville placed it 90 miles to the N.E. of Kassina, and in the drawing just alluded to, it is placed inland northward of the Niger. The only authority for supporting Edrisi’s position of it, is what Mr. Matra was told at Marocco. The Moor who informed Mr. Beaufoy that boats went with the stream to Ghineä, (the Gano or Kano of Major Rennell) placed Jinnie between it and Houssa, so gross an inaccuracy as to justify our doubting him on the other point. The Ginea of Leo more probably meant Jennë, and he seems to write of that navigation as a distinct one from that to Melli eastward.[59] From Kanoo, through the large towns Madagee and Adagia, to Oongooroo is nine journies, but seven on a joma or camel, “Est iter octo dierum versus orientem” (Edrisi.) From Oongooroo to Barranoo is 15 journies on foot according to the Moors, nine on horseback according to the Negroes, by route No. 12. Bornoo or Barranoo was spoken of as the first empire in Africa,[60] the King’s name, according to the Moors, was Baba Alloo, but the Negroes called him Massinnama.[61] Kassina, and the intermediate countries on the route, were subject to him with many others. One district belonging to Bornoo was named Panaroo, and the vassal King or governor of it, Yandee Kooma. A small river, called Gaboöa[62] by the Negroes, ran southwards near Bornoo, and six journies eastward from it, close to Aweeac, a large one Zerrookoo Keroboobee. Mr. Horneman writes, the Wad el Gazel is not a river, but a large and fertile valley. The Negroes of Bornoo were well acquainted with Baghermee. Imhammed’s recollection of the numerals of Bornoo must have been very imperfect, for I have written them at least half a dozen times, both from Moorish and Negro inhabitants, and my spelling agreed with that of another person present. They are

_Imhammed’s._

One Leskar Lakkah.

Two Ahndee Endee.

Three Yaskar Nieskoo.

Four Deegah Dekoo.

Five Oöogoo Okoo.

Six Araskoo Araskoo.

Seven Tooloor Naskoo.

Eight Woskoo Tallóre.

Nine Likkar L’ilkar.

Ten Meeägoo Meikoo.

Ben Ali said the language of the common people of Bornoo had a strong resemblance to that of the neighbouring Negroes. Mr. Lucas writes that no less than 30 languages are spoken in these dominions. The following are the numerals of Maïha, one month to the north-eastward, subject to Bornoo, and the King’s name Smaï Doonama.

One Lagen.

Two Indë.

Three Eäska.

Four Daäger.

Five Ohoo.

Six Araska.

Seven Tooloor.

Eight Weska.

Nine Likar.

Ten Inagoon.

The Negroes called Kanem, Kandem; were well acquainted with Doomboo, and spoke much of the kingdom of Asben.

We will now return to Cape Coast Castle, and seek the best descriptive authorities, in aid of the observations which have been made by the Commissioners and others, for the maritime geography from the river Assinee to Lagos.

The latitude and longitude of Cape Coast (called by the natives Igwa, and in the Affettoo district) according to Messrs. Ludlam and Dawes, the Government Commissioners who surveyed the coast in 1810, is 5° 6′ N. and 1° 51′ W. Elmina, the native name of which is Addĭna, is about seven miles to windward of Cape Coast. Twelve miles from Elmina is Commenda, an English fort, the town is called by the natives Akatayki, the Dutch fort was destroyed in the American war. Nine miles thence is Chama, or Assĕma, at the mouth of the Boosempra. Six hours pull up the river, is an island, where Attobra, one of the Warsaw caboceers, who supplies the Dutch with canoes, is building a large house to retire to; four hours above which is his croom. Colonel Starrenberg was pulled three days up the river in a canoe; his progress was much impeded by rocks, and at length arrested by a large cataract, which, being considered a powerful fetish by the natives, the canoe-men dared not to approach. Nine miles from Chama, where the Dutch have a fort called Sebastian, is Succondee, the first town in the Ahanta country. The English fort was destroyed by the French in the American war, but there is a settlement house. The Dutch fort is called Orange. Four miles from Succondee is Taccorary, and a Dutch fort. Nine miles beyond is Boutrie where the Dutch have a fort, formerly belonging to the Brandenburgh Company. Three miles from Boutrie is Dix-Cove, or Nfooma, and in the interval Boossooä, the capital of Ahanta, which is divided into three districts, Amanfoo, Adoom, and Poho. The first is about one journey (through Geämma) behind Boossooa, and one from the river Ancobra, the caboceer is of the next consequence to the King, whose power and means are extremely limited. The two latter districts are not more than half a journey behind Taccorary. The small river running into the sea at Boutrie, rises in the Adoom district, which is said to abound in gold, but the pits have not been worked for many years, from their fear of the Warsaws. Amanfee also abounds in very fine gold, which is generally found in quartz, and is ground upon stones arranged under large sheds for the purpose. In a respectable periodical publication of the last year, I observe, the King of Ashantee called King of Ahanta, Inta, or Ashantee; this is one of the many proofs of the indiscriminate ideas of that monarch before the Mission. Eighteen miles from Dix-Cove passing Achooma and Accoda, (where the Dutch have a fort, and which is close to Cape Three Points) are the ruins of Hollandia, formerly belonging to the Brandenburgh Company, and called Fort Royal Fredericksburg. Sixteen miles farther is Axim, where the Dutch fort Anthony, their Vice Presidency, is situated. The people of Axim speak a dialect of the Ahanta. About two miles westward is the mouth of the Ancobra, so called by the Portuguese from its windings, the native name is Seënna. Col. Starrenberg, who went up the river as far as the ruins of Elisa Carthago, the extreme navigable point, for any but a very small canoe, says, he cannot form any accurate idea of the distance, but supposes it was about 20 Dutch miles and the course N.E. Meredith says 50 English: he was very careless and incorrect in writing, “the French built a fort on the right bank of this river, and at about 50 miles from its mouth; where they had a great gold trade, that soon excited the jealousy of the Dutch, who expelled them. The Dutch however did not long enjoy this acquisition, for the chief got embroiled with the natives, and betook himself to the desperate remedy of blowing up the fort.” Elisa Carthago was built by the Dutch governor Ruighaven, who died, as appears by his tomb stone at Elmina, before 1700. The French never had any but a small factory, almost at the mouth of the river, and the Dutch officer in charge of Elisa Carthago had enjoyed a good trade many years before the cupidity of the natives reduced him to the act of despair, related by Bosman, and still recorded by the natives, who narrated it to Col. Starrenberg. The following is from the Latin translation of Dr. Reynhaut: “The chief of Elisa Carthago being at variance with the natives, who invested the fort, and finding he could not resist them any longer” (for as the story goes, he had been reduced to fire pieces of rock gold from the want of bullets) “feigned to treat with them, and invited them for that purpose into the hall of the fort, under which he had placed several barrels of gunpowder, and a small boy with a match, ordering him to apply it directly he stamped his foot on the floor of the hall above. This he did, after reproaching the natives with their cupidity, and they were all blown up together. One of the servants of the fort had just before contrived to effect his escape with most of the papers.” In navigating from the mouth of the Ancobra or Seënna to Elisa Carthago, the following towns, on the banks, are passed, Boasso, Tarbo, Marmeresse, Ejujan, Tetchbrouw, Gura, Barnesoe, Uromanio, Afamkan, and Aduwa. Gura is a small state, the people of which speak the same language as those of Axim. From Aduwa there are three grand roads, one to the Aowin country, one to the Dankara, and one to Asankarie, a considerable town in Warsaw. From Aduwa to Dankara numerous small crooms are passed through, and the first large one of the latter country is Kenkoomabaraso, only three journies from Coomassie. The people of Dankara come to Axim to trade. From Aduwa to Aowin the first considerable town is Taqua. The Warsaw country is governed by four caboceers, independent of each other, of whose relation and power, the best idea I can give, is by comparing it with that of the tyrants Geron and Theron, who ruled at the same time in Sicily. Intiffa, the richest caboceer, and whose power extends the farthest, resides at Abbradie, one short journey from Elmina. Cudjo Miensa (Miensa is the numeral three) is his principal counsellor, and will succeed him. Nerbehin was formerly the residence of Quashee Jacon, another independent caboceer, but of Intiffa’s family; he was driven from thence by Esson Cudjo, who now rules there: he fled to Samcow (situated about one day’s journey on the frontier of Warsaw, behind Succondee) of which Musoe, a slave of his, has raised himself to be the caboceer, and now protects his master until Esson Cudjoe’s death. Attobra, another independent caboceer, lives at Dabroādie, on the Boosempra. The greatest breadth of the Warsaw country is supposed to be 60 B. miles, and the greatest length 100 or 120. About 28 miles from the Ancobra, begins the kingdom of Amanaheä, in which the English fort Apollonia is situated: it extends about 100 miles along the coast, but not more than 20 in-land. The various numerals of the coast will be submitted in an essay on the Fantee language.

Barely four miles eastward of Cape Coast is Moree, and the Dutch fort Nassau. Six miles from Moree is Annamaboe, the most complete fortification in the country; five miles thence Cormantine, the first fort possessed by the English, and built by them about the middle of the seventeenth century. It was taken afterwards by the Dutch, and being stormed, was almost destroyed by the Ashantee army, before it attacked Annamaboe: the position is very commanding. Tantumquerry, a small English fort, is about 18 miles from Cormantine, (crossing the small river Amissa, an hour’s walk in-land from which is Mankasim, the capital of the Braffoe district of Fantee) the natives call the town Tuam. Eight miles from Tantum is the town of Apam, where is a Dutch fort and a small river. Eight miles from Apam is Simpah or Winnebah. The people of Simpah are Fantees, but their language is called Affoottoo. They are in the district of Agoona. About nine miles from Simpah is the Dutch fort Berracoe, the natives call the town Seniah. Attah of Akim laid a contribution on this fort in March 1811. About 27 miles from Berracoe is Accra, or Inkran, once subject to Aquamboo, which people, according to Isert, formerly drove them to Popo. Meredith fully describes Accra and the environs, but he does not mention that according to the natives the Portuguese settled here first, (Isert writes in 1452) and exercising the greatest cruelties and enormities, were extirpated by the Accras (their town was then situated a little behind the present), who executed the governor and his countrymen, on a spot whence they still take the earth to rub a new born child, in commemoration of the event. Accra, according to the observations of the Commissioners, is in 5° 20′ N. and 10′ W. Mr. Meredith, after quoting this observation, placed it in his outline of the coast in 58′ E. Between two and three miles from the English fort, is Christiansburg Castle, the Danish head-quarters.

We will follow[63] Isert in his route from Accra to the Volta, as he travelled it several times. “Two miles from Christiansburg is Labbodee, where there was formerly a fort: this is the residence of the grand fetish, and the Bishop. Two miles to Pessin, two to Temmen, where the Dutch had a small fort, abandoned in 1781, two (leaving Nimboe a little in the bush) to Ponee, a deserted Dutch fort, now a Dutch factory; two miles thence (crossing a brakke streek or low land, up to the shoulders in the rains, and 300 fathoms broad, sometimes called Ponee river) are great and small Pram Pram, where the English have a small fort or fortified factory. Two long miles thence is Friedensbourg fort at Ningo, the people of which speak a different language called Adampee, (the name given to their country,) a mixture of Ashantee, Kerrapee, and Accra; it is a republic.” Behind Adampee is the Crobo mountain, the people of which, though but a few hundreds, have hitherto baffled the Ashantees, by leaving their croom at the bottom of the mountain, which is of great height, rugged, accessible but by one narrow path, and with springs of water on the top, whence they roll down upon their enemies, the large stones and fragments of rock which abound. “From Adampee I went in one day to Addah, 12 miles. Two and a half from Ningo is a croom called Laï, the inhabitants of which have removed, some to Addah, some to Ningo: the English had a factory here, long gone to ruin. One mile west of the Volta, there was formerly a croom called Foutchi.” Reckoning four English miles to one Danish or Dutch, Addah would be 96 miles from Christiansburg, but Meredith makes it but 67, therefore we will take the medium and call it 87. From the Volta to Cape St. Paul’s is five leagues by sea, according to Dalzel, and 15 miles by land, according to Norris’s map of Dahomey and its environs. Quitta, about 12 miles from it (according to Norris) by the observation made in H.M.S. Argo in 1802, is in 5° 45′ N. and 1° 29′ 30″ E. by chronometer. Accra lies, according to the Commissioners, in 10′ W. Taking the medium between Isert and Meredith, Christiansburg Castle, about three miles eastward of the English fort, is 87 from Addah, but as that place is six miles from the mouth of the Volta, we will call it 81: allowing one mile for the breadth of the river and 18 miles for the difference of longitude between it and Quitta, (according to Norris,) the distance from English Accra to Quitta will be 103 B. miles, which being equal to 89 geographical miles, place Quitta in 1° 19′ E. instead of 1° 29′ 30″ as by the observation of the Argo, and that supposing the whole distance to be made good horizontally, which is impossible. Wherefore I should think Isert, who had travelled it, was more likely to be correct in making the distance from Christiansburg to Addah 96 miles, than Meredith in calling it 67.

Norris’s observation, placing Cape St. Paul’s in 5° 52′ N., I conceive to be incorrect, as that of the Argo must be preferred, which places Quitta in 5° 42′ N., instead of 6° 2′ N., as in Norris’s map. This should not have escaped Mr. Dalzel’s notice in the “New Sailing Directions,” where both observations are cited in the same page, without any remark on the inconsistency, for Quitta and not St. Paul’s, is thus made the Cape or western limit of the Bight, the eastern side of which is called the Bight of Benin, I regret, amongst other disadvantages, that of not having the opportunity to consult the chart of Mr. Demayne (the master of H.M.S. Amelia) which is said to be more accurate than any other.[64]

Quitta is included in an independent state of Kerrapay, called Agwoona, which extends thence along the coast to the Volta; the towns from that river to Quitta are Attoko, Terrobee, Footee, Agwoona, Whiëe, and Tegbay. Agwoona lays half a mile from the shore, and about 15 miles from the Volta. The inhabitants of all the other towns are obliged by the law to bury their dead in Agwoona, the capital; the caboceer of which is supreme over the others, but not absolute. Between Quitta and Popo, lay the Kerrapay towns Egbiffeemee, to which several of the Quittas have retired, Edjenowah, Oöogloobooë, and Afflou or Afflahoo, a little way from the beach. These towns are governed by caboceers, independent of each other, as well as of Agwoona; and in the last a mixture of Adampë and Kerrapay is spoken, accounted for by the emigration of a large body of the former people. Another independent state of Kerrapay is Tettaytokoo, 2 journies behind Popo; the King is said to be despotic, and the capital composed of circular houses. There is also another smaller interior state, governed by a caboceer called Quaminagah. Tadoo, however, is allowed to be the largest kingdom of Kerrapay, 6 journies behind Popo, (which the Fantees call Inshan, but the natives Taun or Taum) described as a large town; and the Accra language is spoken there as well as the Kerrapay, in consequence of the temporary emigration of the former people in 1680. The Kerrapay numerals are

One Eddee.

Two Effee.

Three Eltong.

Four Ennay.

Five Altong.

Six Adday.

Seven Adrinnee.

Eight Ennee.

Nine Indee.

Ten Owoo.

The Negroes of this country are of a much more daring and desperate character than their neighbours, and were always the most severely treated in the slave ships. Mr. Meredith, who writes it Crepee, placed it west of the Volta.

Whydah, according to an observation of the Argo, is 6° 14′ N. 2° 31′ E. I do not recollect Dalzel to have mentioned that Anotto is produced in the neighbourhood of Whydah. I am not certain whether it is by the Bixa orellana; but the shrub at Whydah may be classed under Polyandria Monogynia. Lambe made it 200 miles from Whydah beach to Abomey; Norris 112, Dalzel 96. By Mr. Norris’s own account of his journey, not more than 20 hours were occupied in travelling, which at 4 miles an hour, the greatest pace which I think the hammock men can average, would make the distance 80 miles. An officer in this service went to Dahomey, without hurrying, in 3 days; and considers a dispatch would reach it in 2: he thinks it can scarcely be 70 miles; but calling it 80 as above, and supposing 54, two thirds, to be the horizontal distance made good, equal to almost 47 G. miles, Abomey would lay in 7° 12′ N. Yet Mr. Dalzel writes it lays in about 7° 59′ N.: Whydah being in about 6° 25′ in the map affixed to his history; this requires 108 B. miles to be made good on the horizontal distance, whereas he calls that of the whole journey but 96, and Mr. Norris, who drew the map, 112. The public were certainly indebted to Mr. Dalzel for the History of Dahomey, but it was his duty, as an intelligent and considerate man, to correct such an error as this; and if the author of the preface had reflected, he would not have written, “The map, is that of Mr. Norris, with a few additions, which for the places on the coast, and the position of Abomey, is near enough to the truth.” Mr. Dalzel should have corrected a greater error in this map, the course of the Lagos river, for altering which I shall presently quote his own authority in addition to others.

An officer in this service, who resided at Lagos three years, and is the only European resident who has survived of those who have made the attempt, enables me to correct the following errors. The Pelican bank is much smaller than it appears on the charts; the Doo island (which lays N.W. and not N. of Lagos town) where the natives go to make fetish, is not more than one mile in circumference; and there is no river of that name. The beach over which the Portuguese and French (who never cross the bar, where there are 3 fathoms water) transport their goods to the canoes, is not more than 100 yards wide, instead of one mile. In Norris’s map prefixed to Dalzel’s History, the Lagos river is made to cross the path to Dahomey near Torë. In the Sailing Directions for the Coast of Africa, to which Mr. Dalzel was the chief contributor, and who revised the work, we find, “River Lagos is the mouth not only of the river of that name, which runs to the _eastward from Ardrah_,” &c. and the river Mr. Norris crossed near Torë, which he calls pretty deep and rapid, but with a bridge over it, is by the account of other gentlemen, officers in this service, who have been to Dahomey, no more than a marsh. The gentleman before mentioned to have resided three years in Lagos, informs me the grand branch of that river flows from the northward of the island, where the pretended river Doo is placed, he found it so wide on entering it, that being in the middle, where there are 10 fathoms water, he could scarcely see the land on either side. The current is impetuous, and floating islands, and large masses of alluvial matter come down with such force, in the rainy season, as to trip vessels from their anchors in the English road. De Lisle makes the Lagos river flowing from the N., and the French are allowed to be much better acquainted with this part of the coast. That called the West river in Norris’s map, is only a creek; and what he calls the Lagos river, and draws running close to Bădaggry, Ardrah, and passing Torë, is the Western river. Bădaggry is not more than 5 or 7 miles from the beach, instead of 15, and the tide only ebbs and flows so far. Ardrah is from 25 to 30 miles from the beach, instead of 18; and the river is crossed at about one-third of the distance from the sea: this is what we call Porto Novo, for there is not more than beachmen’s huts on the shore opposite the anchorage. The natives call Ardrah Aratakassee, or Allatakassee, and the country Essaäm, or the great. The river continues its course not more than 100 yards from the sea, at Whydah, and proceeds equally close (indeed frequently the ridge between them is covered with water) until passing Quitta, it falls into the Volta near the mouth.

The above mentioned gentleman proves the informant of Adams’s editor incorrect, in stating that the Houssa traders were constantly to be met with at Lagos, previous to the abolition of the slave trade, for it has always been the policy of Kosie, a kingdom on the eastern bank of the river, and about 60 miles inland from the mouth, to prevent all intercourse between the traders of the interior, and those of Lagos, to secure to themselves the exorbitant profits they made as the brokers or medium. The Europeans who traded at Lagos, once meditated forcing a passage up the river in armed boats, and a vessel of 18 guns was got over the bar, and anchored close to Lagos town; but the project was abandoned as too perilous. Sometime afterwards the King of Kosie desired a European might visit him, to gratify his curiosity, and that of his people; but no one being willing, a mulatto, named Peter Brown, was dressed up and sent. This man, being now at Cape Coast, I have questioned. Several armed men were sent to conduct him, and relays of canoe men sufficient to continue brisk pulling; which they did from the evening till the next day, before he left the river to proceed by land; it was still very wide, and more than 4 fathoms deep; considerably, for aught he knew, for the bamboo poles of that length, with which the natives push the canoe forward, when they get close enough to the banks to do so, would not touch the bottom in the middle. Relays of hammock men then carried him at a brisk pace until evening, when he reached Kosie, which he described as a town of great extent, and the buildings to resemble those in the drawings of Coomassie. The King gave orders that the crowd should not intrude themselves into his house, treated him very handsomely, and dismissed him after three days. He only heard the people of Kosie speak of two great nations, the Hios, and the Awissees.

The gentleman before mentioned has an impression, from all the enquiries he recollects to have made, of the slaves of the interior, that the merchants convey them by water the greater part of the way; and their reports were strengthened by his having an opportunity of seeing canoes brought from Kosie to Lagos, and purchased from the slave merchants of the interior. They were very superior in size and convenience to those of the coast, were covered in, with a distinct apartment for the trader and his wives, and would hold a hundred slaves. I never heard any slaves speak of being brought any part of the way by water, but I have not seen any who were brought to Kosie or Lagos.

The Karhala is the only large river likely to communicate with, or to form that of Lagos; possibly the Karhala might run to the large lake in Hio, which Snelgrave says (from the information of the Portuguese mulatto he found at Abomey) “is the fountain of several large rivers which empty themselves into the Bay of Guinea.” The Lagos river may flow from this lake, but this is mere conjecture. The gentleman to whom I am indebted, places the Mahees north of Dahomey, instead of north-west as in Norris’s map, which is allowed to be far from discriminate in the interior parts, in the preface to Dalzel’s History, and this is also more probable, because about nine years ago, the King of Hio entirely conquered the Mahees, and upwards of 20,000 of them were brought for sale to Lagos.

The Joös, inconsiderately reported to Adams’s editor as being, with the Anagoos and Mahees, the principal nations on the journey to the Niger, and nearer to the coast, avoiding Dahomey, are probably the Jaboos, who are about 40 miles westward of Kosie, and not behind Cradoo, as in Norris’s map. They are celebrated for the cloths of their name, of which the Portuguese have shipped such large quantities. The Anagoos, or Nagoos, are the north westward neighbours of Dahomey.

The extent of Fantee is corrected from the conjectural enlargement of it by Mr. Meredith, and, with that of Ashantee, Akim, Assin, Warsaw, Ahanta, &c. &c. is sufficiently distinct in the present map. A more enlarged, and particular map of Fantee, &c. would not be interesting to the public, but as it might be desirable to geographers, I shall keep it in view as a duty, and, at some future time, endeavor to add to the observations of latitude and longitude which have been already made on the coast.

I may not conclude without acknowledging the guidance, and assistance, which Major Rennell’s previous investigations have afforded me; without impressing, that had not some sketches of the interior been collected by the industry of the emissaries of the African Association, and afterwards connected and formed into a general outline, blended with the feeble lights of the ancients, my enquiries would neither have been excited or directed; and this present small contribution to our slender knowledge would have perished an embryo. When I reflect on the creative researches of the genius of D’Anville, and the acumen and erudition of Major Rennell, it is my greatest anxiety to make my deference in investigation, as manifest as the public duty which exacted the involuntary presumption; and I cannot conclude more appropriately, than by addressing the latter in the expressive lines of Virgil:

“Nec calamis solum æquiparas sed voce magistrum

Fortunate—tu nunc eris alter ab illo.

Nos tamen hæc quocunque modo tibi nostra vicissim

Dicemus.”

[Footnote 15: “On the west of Aquamboe lies the powerful state of Akim, sometimes denominated Akam, Achem, and Accany, which occupies almost all the interior of the Gold Coast, and is supposed by the natives to extend to Barbary. The Accanese are represented as carrying on an extensive commerce with the interior kingdoms of Africa, particularly Tonouwah, Gago, and Meczara, by which Mourzouk the capital of Fezzan seems to be intended.”]

[Footnote 16: “Reize van Koppenhagen naar Guinea, &c. Door den Heer Isert. Amsteldam, 1797. Naar het Hoog Duitsch.”]

[Footnote 17: This induced me to think that In-ta and Ta-pah, as well as Assiantee might mean the same place, as we find of Mahee, Yahon, &c.—Dalzel.]