course, has been by hin mistaken for -the Niger, and that he was actually unacquainted with the latter river, and that his Nile of the Negroes is the Gir of Ptolemy, which falls into an interior lake, in which was the island of Ulil, at one day's journey by water from the mouth of the river, and that in this island another Ara bian geographer, placed the capital town of all Soudan. Beyond this lake and island, Edrisi appears to have had no knowledge of central Africa. All the countries and towns he cites, appear to belong to the Gir, or to his Nile of the Negroes, that runs to the north west. After his description it appears that Wangara is the Delta of the Gir. Some have believed that the river Kulla, after having followed for sometime a northwest direction, turns south west and joins the sea at Calabar; but this is improbable, because Mr. Brown has declared to us several times, that he thought this river It is pursued its primitive direction. not probable that it would pass the great central chain of mountains, and clear the most elevated parts, or that so large a river, which furnishes so long an interior navigation, could escape the knowledge of the travellers in Benin and Calabar. Following the best maps, there is no arm of the sea in this country that could correspond to such a river.' "We do not believe that we can, with reason, confine the geography of Edrisi to such narrow limits, nor that we ought to abandon so lightly, the system after which D'Anville interpreted the Arabian geographers. Tocsur, placed by D'Anville on the Niger, appears in reality to answer to the Tocrumada, of Ptolemy, which was placed on the Gir. Wangara might be the Delta of this river. The Tocabath of Ptolemy was on the Niger, and corresponds to Tombout, Tungabout, or Tombouctou; though Leo, the African, says that Tombouctou was built by a Moorish prince in the year of the Hegira 610, (the year 1232 of the vulgar era;) but this foundation, after the text itself, can only be considered a reformation. We have reason to believe that all the countries indicated by Edrisi, and "It is reasonable to consider. Gana as the seat of this pontiff monarch. The cross proves nothing; this mystical sign it not unknown to the Pagan religions, as Dupuis has demonstrated. Gana is situated to the north east of Benin, and, it is probable, that the branches of the Kong mountains turn by an eastern curve towards the former place. "Whatever explanation we choose to give to this curious passage of Barros, it is singular that we find in Ptolemy, a town called Ta-Gana, in the same position on the Niger. Ta is only a Greek article which precedes the name of many towns, in the nominative case, plural number, neuter gender. L "Orosius, and Æthicus, speak also of a nation denominated Gan-Gines, in inte rior Lybia. The latter name recalls at unce that of Gana, and that of Guin, that of Ghennéoa, and of Ghinny, placed by Edrisi on the Niger, and which may be the Jenné of Mungo Park." Mentelle XVI. 235-239. The Niger may be considered as the discovery of the Nassomonians, mentioned by Herodotus, as their relation contained the first intelligence conveyed to the people of Europe of the existence of that stream. It is worthy of remark that the account of the adventures of these men, as preserved by the Father of History, informs us that they were made captives by the blacks, and carried into the interior of the continent. This is precisely what would happen at present under similar circumstances. From all we have learned of the recent moral state of the people of Africa, society has experienced but little change in the last 2500 years. In the New-York Library is a copy of a Geography, in French, published in 1607, in which is inserted an elegant map of Africa. Upon this map the Niger is drawn in its true relative position, and is represented as receiving from the north east the waters of the Wad el Gazel, and the Miselad; but the main stream is conducted west into what are now called the Gambia and Senegal, all of which are united by interlocutory streams. This map is evidently founded upon the authority of Edrisi, and what is very remarkable, there are two countries placed upon it called Cassena and Gangara, occupying nearly the same relative situation with the Gana and Wangara of our more modern maps. In the controversy upon the authenticity of Riley's report of Sidi Hamet's relation, or rather upon the veracity and correctness of the latter, it has not been observed hitherto, that Gano, Gana, Ghinny, Guiné, Oganė, Cassena, Cassina, Kassina, and Wassanah, as well as the Ta-Gana of Ptolemy, are all names of the same kingdom or city. The observations I have quoted from Mentelle, almost demonstrate the unity of all the above names, except that of Wassanah, which was unknown to that author. The terminations, or rather radicals, ina, ana, ano, iné, or anah, only differing from each other by the variation of vowel sounds, enter into the composition of all the foregoing nouns, even that of Gangera, or Wangara. It may be farther remarked, that the same substitution of one consonant for another, which changes Gangara into Wangara, also changes Cassena into Wassena. By a singular' combination of facts, that could never be the fruit of invention, only one village is mentioned by Sidi Hamet, between Tombuctou and Wassanah, and its name is Bin bína. Binbinah is above Cassenah, orWassanah, and Wangara below. It will probably be found, when the etymologies of these names are known, that the prefixes and suffixes to the radical names, are expressive of their relative situation, or some other distinctive circumstance. Itineraries, especially where regular journals are not kept, must give uncertain data respecting course and distance, but are as much entitled to credit as any other species of information, as far as the mere existence of places is concerned. Whether Wassanah is wrongly or cor rectly placed upon our maps, may be controverted, but the existence of a city of some magnitude, and bearing that name, which stands upon the left bank of the Niger, is proved by independent, and yet corresponding testimony. There is a simplicity in Sidi Hamet's relation that speaks strongly in favour of its accuracy. It is demonstrable that this sensible, but uneducated Moor, knew nothing of the powerful aid his narration could receive from the science of ancient and modern times. Of Ptolemy or Edrisi, it is probable he knew nothing. Combining the various known facts, collected by ancient and modern authors, by Herodotus, Eratosthenes, Hipparel:us, Strabo, Pliny, Ptolemy, Edrisi, Abulfeda, Leo the African, D'Anville, and the crowd of respectable witnesses that have appcared in the last half century, and who have given their testimony to the world on the subject, the geography of central out of which is discharged a supposed riAfrica now presents the following aspect. ver, which, pursuing a southwest direcA chain of mountains commencing near tion, joins the Niger in the alluvial lands the Atlantic Ocean about N. lat. 10°, and of Wargara. gradually rising as it advances eastward, gives rise in 7° west from London, by its lateral ridges, to three large rivers, the Gambia, Senegal, and Niger; the two former flowing west into the Atlantic Ocean, and the latter east towards the central parts of the continent. The mountains are, by us, denominated Kong, and, as far as correctly known, continue their original direction to the eastward. North of the Kong mountains, extends an immense valley lying parallel to the chain, the repository of whose waters is the Niger, Joliba, or Zolibib river. In the early part of its course, from N. lat. 12° and W. long. 7 to Tombuctou, in N. lat. 16o 30', and E. long. 1° 30′ from London, the Niger pursues a course considerably north of east. Below Tombuctou, the Niger assumes an eastern course, but gradually to the south, and after running through an entire length of about 30° of longitude, is left undefined in the alluvial lands of Wangara. The north side of the valley of the Niger is terminated by the dreary and elevated Sahara, or Desert; upon the south, this valley has a slope of about three hundred and eighty miles, between the main stream of the Niger and the mountains of Kong. How many, or of what magnitude, are the tributary streams that flow from either the mountains or desert, remains undetermined. The country marked in our maps by the name of Wangara appears to be the centre of a very wide basin. East of Wangara, and west of the Babr el Abiadh, or main stream of the Nile, extends another slope nearly at right angles to that of the Niger. Upon the eastern valley is found two rivers, flowing in nearly opposite directions towards each other; the Kuku, or Wad el Gazel, rises in Bournou, and flows to the south; the Miselad, rising in the same mountains with the Bahr el Abiadh, flows to the north, or north west. These two rivers unite in a lake, or overflowed country, called Fitre, I trust that the evidence presented in this communication ought to remove all doubts respecting the existence of Wassanah, and, of course, establish the credit of Sidi Hamet's account of the final issue of the congregated waters of the Niger, Kuku, and Miselad. Happily, in America, numerous instances occur of the coincidence of natural phenomena between the rivers of the two continents. The doubts of Mr. Pinkerton respecting the improbability of rivers passing mountain chains, evinced great ignorance of the geography of America; and where the assumed fact is erroneous, the induction must be erroneous also. Any person of ordinary information upon the topography of America, would have known the passage of the Hudson through the Highlands; the Delaware and Susquehannak piercing the Alleghany in numerous places; of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge; and of the stupendous gorge of Tecondama, where the Magdaline river forces its way through the Andes. In addition to the proof afforded by the American rivers, of the frequency of their passage through mountains, they also present several instances of remarkable resemblance, in general course, to that of the Niger. The Ohio, and its confluents from the northeast; the Mississippi, and its tributary waters from the north west, and the Missouri, from the west, all uniting within a short distance, and discharging their uni ted streams to the south, by the main volume of the Mississippi, all exhibit a picture so similar to the Niger, Kuku, Miselad, and the Gozen Zaire, that its striking similarity must excite admiration even in a mind accustomed to compare the great objects in nature. The Columbia is composed of two principal streams, which flow towards each other in very nearly opposite directions, and receiving some large additions from the cast, the whole mass pierces two mountain chains and by a western course, nearly at right angles to its principal compoDents, reaches the Pacific Ocean. .. It is needless, however, to multiply examples to prove the probability of the Niger passing the Kong mountains, as the fact must be admitted, if the truth of Sidi Hamet's relation respecting Wassanah is established; and the mass of direct and correlative testimony in its support renders reasonable doubt scarcely possible The identity of the Kong chain with that of the Dgebil Kumri, has been question ed; it may be sufficient in this place to observe, that wherever the continent of Africa has been reached by civilized man, between nine and twelve degrees of north latitude, very high mountains have been encountered. A principal chain is found south of Abyssinia, with lateral ridges proceeding from it obliquely; the same phenomenon is encountered near the sources of the Gambia, Senegal, and Niger. It is then a fair induction that Cape Verd, and Cape Garda Fui, are the two extremities of a chain of mountains traversing Africa from east to west, or, in an inverted direction to that of the Andes of South America. Where the waters of the great central valley unite, north of the Kong, is an inundated country, similar to the estuary of most large rivers. On the map of that part of Africa, published in Riley's Narrative, but projected by your late son, Mr. J. H. Eddy, the respective positions of the rivers do not materially differ from those laid down by D'Anville and Arrowsmith; but the names and situations of places, upon the forme map, are in-dicative of extended information gained since the works of D'Anville, particularly, were published. In all the maps of Africa the country of Wangara is marked as abounding in lakes and interlocking streams, the usual appendages of an annually inundated region. It is impossible to glance upon this part of the map of Africa without, at once, perceiving the true cause of the long controversy respecting the course of the Niger. Each author described the river from what he considered the most authentic source of information. I have already observed, the first knowledge given to civilized Europe of the existence of the Niger, was the relation of the Nassomonians, published by Herodotus. It was the Joliba, or western Niger, here spoken of; its course assume. truly from west to east. All the other Greek and Roman geographers, to Ptolemy inclusive, gavé to the Niger its real course. Edrisi, an Arabian author, about 1170 of the vulgar era, first contended that the Niger flowed to the west; and he, from his respectability, was followed by many others who adopted the same opinion. The data upon which the system of Edrisí was founded, were, in most part, correct; the error lay in mistaking one river for another. Edrisi understood by his Niger, the stream now called Miselad, or some other river, flowing westward from the Egyptian Nile, towards the real Niger of Herodotus, Ptolemy, and D'Anville. As far as correct information is received, the veracity of Edrisi is established, and I am much mistaken if subsequent discovery does not more strongly confirm his accuracy. It is now proved, beyond doubt, by Mr. Browne's tour in the regions west of the Bahr el Abiadh, that in the meridian of 25° E. of London, through more than twelve degrees of latitude, the water all flows westward. It was the latter country, and not that drained by the Joliba, or real Niger, that was meant by Edrisi; his want of more extended information explains his mistake. " Abulfeda wrote about 1340, and being an Arabian, he adopted the information given by the authors of his nation. His residence, being sultan of Hamath in Syria, necessarily gave him more intimate acquaintance with eastern than western Africa. Adopting the system of Edrisi, Abulfeda also gives the Niger a course to the west. It was indeed, not until very lately, that the real geography of the basin of the Niger was understood; and when its general features were assented to as physical truths, their curious phenomena produced conflicting hypotheses upon the disposal of the accumulated waters that inundated its lowest point of depression. Major Rennel assumed the lead amongst those who discharged the Niger and its tributaries into an African Caspian, or who dissipated its mass of water amongst the sands of interior Africa. Many, as well as Mr. Pinkerton, considered a river passing a chain of mountains as an extravagance of human imagination. But nature, without being influenced by any human system, it appears has actually permitted the Niger to find its way to the Atlantic Ocean, through sandy deserts and craggy mountains, and will, it is prohable, soon enable the hand of science to confer upon this great stream the second, if not the first rank, amongst the rivers of this globe. Like all other rivers of great length, in tropical countries, the quantity of water in the Niger, or Zaire, must differ very much in the dry and sandy seasons; and must also present that feature, so remarkable in the Nile, of a regular rise and fall. Having its entire course within the tropics, its banks must be suitable to the production of an infinite variety of the most valuable vegetables, and if the sunbeams of civilization should ever penetrate the center of Africa, this noble river may contribute its rich resources to future nations of enlightened men. Without dilating this communication to an undue length, I could not insert all that occurs upon the subject; I will conclude by a summary of the evidence, and facts proved. Cassina, Kassina, and Wassanah, are really expressive of the same object, but distorted by variety in vowel pronunciation. And that, finally, if the reality of Hamet's relation respecting the city of Wassanah is admitted, the corollary follows, that the Niger does actually pass that city and flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Assuming the identity of the Niger and Gozen Zaire, as determined, the following table will exhibit the lengths respectively of ten of the principal rivers of our earth. Eng. miles. Deg. of a g. circle. Zaire 3252 47 Rio de la Plate 1799 30 The above table is constructed by measuring the respective rivers with a sweep of five degrees of a great circle. This method omits the smaller curves, but yields an accurate result upon the comparative lengths. You will perceive that the Zaire is nearly one thousand miles longer than any other river on the globe. There is every reason to believe that the magnitude of this mighty stream is correspondent to its length of course. I hope you may find the scattered reflections contained in this communication satisfactory. Dear Sir, Yours with respect and esteem, With the foregoing, the Editor received the following Letter from Mr. Darby. From the quotation drawn from Mentelle it is demonstrated that the Arab, or Hebrew language, was established, or MR. THOMAS EDDY. mingled with the native dialects of the most remote regions upon the Niger, 2200 years past. It is also shown, from the same testimony, that the radix of the name of Wassanah was known to Ptolemy, who placed it nearly where Wassanah was found by Sidi Hamet. It has also been shown that the probability is strong that the nouns, Ta-Gana, Gana, Gano, Ghinny, Guinné, Ogané, Cassena, New-York, December 15th, 1818. MR. HOLLEY, The enclosed Essay on Riley's Narrative was written, as you will perceive, near nine months past, addressed to Mr. Thomas Eddy of this city. Since it was |