nated at a promontory and port called Rhapta,—a fact which of itself would show the extent of ancient navigation in this direction, could the learned agree where that town was situated; but all the names being changed, and no observations of latitude having been made, it is difficult to fix the positions with certainty. Rhapta, according to Gosselin, was Magadoxo; according to Vossius and Vincent it was at or near Quiloa, a place more than double the distance of the first from Cape Guardafui. On this point Dr Vincent seems clearly in the right. All the names are indeed altered, but the natural features remain the same. Now the seamen are in one place represented as passing successively the seven mouths of a large river at short distances from each other; and these cannot possibly be found any where but in the series of estuaries on which Patta and Melinda are built, the principal of which is that of the Quillimane,—a conclusion which necessarily carries the situation of Rhapta southward to Quiloa. Ptolemy, who wrote probably a century later, gives the more remote position of Prasum as a promontory, port, and city, to which in his time merchants were accustomed to sail. We have no fact to guide us to the locality of that town, except that it was two or three hundred miles south-east from Rhapta. Gosselin makes it Brava; but this is still short of the mouths of the seven rivers which afford the test for determining the situation of the several ports. Dr Vincent, again, would have Prasum to be Mozambique ; but though the coast runs south-east from Quiloa to Cape Delgado, from this last point to the island now named the direction is south, and even a little south-west. At or near Cape Delgado, therefore, must, it appears, be fixed the boundary of ancient navigation along the eastern coast of Africa.

CHAPTER III.

Settlements of the Arabs.

Their Influence on this Continent-Migration into Central Africa-Ghana-Tocrur-Kuku-Wangara-Ulil-Eastern Africa-Travels of Ibn Batuta-Description by Leo Africanus.

THE triumph of the followers of Mohammed, who in fifty years spread their arms and their creed over half the eastern world, produced an immense change in the social system of Asia, and a still greater in that of Africa. Their ascendency at first was by no means inauspicious, and portended little of that deep darkness and barbarism in which it has since involved these two continents. After the first violences to which fanaticism prompted the more ardent converts, the Saracen sway assumed a milder aspect, and their princes cultivated the arts and even the sciences, with a zeal which had expired among the effeminate descendants of the Greeks and Romans. Even the remote Mauritania, which seemed doomed to be for ever the inheritance of a barbarous and nomadic race, was converted into a civilized empire; and its capital, Fez, became a distinguished school of learning. Their love of improvement reached even the most distant regions. They introduced the camel, which, though a native of the sandy wastes of Arabia, was equally adapted to the still more immense deserts that stretch so widely over Africa. Paths were opened through wilds, to penetrate which had hitherto defied all human efforts. intercourse by means of caravans was formed with the interior countries, to obtain gold and slaves; and, amid the sanguinary disputes which afterwards arose among

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the descendants of the prophet, many, whose ill fortune exposed them to the enmity of successful rivals, sought refuge on the opposite side of the Great Desert. By successive migrations, they not only became numerous in Central Africa, but, from superior skill in the art of war, rose to be the ruling power. They founded several flourishing kingdoms in those parts of the continent, which Europeans vainly sought to reach till they were recently explored by our enterprising countrymen. Of these states Ghana was the most prosperous, forming the great market for gold, in search of which merchants repaired from the remotest regions. Its sovereign was acknowledged as supreme by all the neighbouring princes; while his court displayed a splendour, and was adorned with objects, hitherto unexampled in those regions. Among its ornaments were painting, sculpture, and glass windows; which, being before unknown, excited the surprise and admiration of the natives. The king, it is said, rode out attended by elephants and camelopards, tamed by an art then first introduced, but since lost. The inhabitants were also dazzled by the display of a mass of solid gold, weighing thirty pounds, with which the throne was embellished. This prince made a great profession of justice, going out twice every day, and presenting himself to all who wished to offer petition or complaint. The vicissitudes of fortune have subverted the kingdom of Ghana, and made its territory successively subject to Timbuctoo, Kashna, and Sackatoo; but our late travellers found it, under the changed name, or rather orthography, of Kano, still extensive and populous, and the chief seat of the interior commerce of Africa.

Tocrur, about twenty-four days' journey north-west of Ghana, was a kingdom inferior indeed to the other, yet powerful and independent. It carried on an extensive traffic with the people of the "remotest west," who brought shells and brass, for which in return they are said to have received gold and ornaments. Mention is made of the cotton cloths which still form the staple manufacture. Tocrur appears evidently to be Sackatoo

or Soccatoo, now the capital of an empire which comprehends Ghana and all the neighbouring countries. Indeed, in an official document communicated by Major Denham, we find this called the empire of Takror.

Kuku, to the eastward of Ghana, forms another kingdom, on whose power and extent the Arabian writers largely dilate. The sovereign is said to have a very numerous train of attendants, and the people to be uncommonly warlike, though rude in their manners and attire. The merchants, at the same time, are represented as very richly dressed, and accustomed to visit and hold intercourse with the nobility. This country is manifestly Bornou, named from its capital, which still bears the same appellation. Twenty days' journey to the south was Kaugha, a city famous for industry and useful arts, and the women of which were renowned for their skill in the secrets of magic. Though the resemblance of name is rather imperfect, this seems to be Denham's Loggun, much celebrated by him for its ingenious labours and fine manufactures, as well as for the intelligence of its females; and among a rude people wit and witchcraft are always imagined to have a close connexion.

To the south of Ghana lay Wangara, a district said to have contained gold, the commodity for which African commerce was so much prized. This region is described as intersected and overflowed during the rainy season by the branches of the Nile (of the Negroes, or Niger), which impregnate the earth with the sand whence this precious metal is extracted. As soon as the waters have retired, the inhabitants eagerly dig the ground, and every one finds more or less," according to the gift of God." But there seems to be some confusion of ideas about this country and its golden products. A district in the southern part of Soudan is called Oongoroo, or Ungura, though it no longer furnishes gold; nor is Ghana at the present day the market for that valuable staple of Central Africa. In the mountainous countries to the south-west this metal is still collected abundantly, in the very manner mentioned by the Arabian writers.

The whole range of Alpine territory to the southward of the regions now described was called Lamlam, and presented a continued scene of barbarous violence. It was branded as the land of the infidels,—of a people to whom none of the charities of life were due, and against whom the passions of cruelty and of avarice might be gratified without remorse. Expeditions or slave-hunts were therefore made into those unfortunate countries; when, after the most bloody conflicts, numerous victims were seized, carried off, and sold to the merchants of Northern Africa, who conveyed them to all parts of the eastern world. The same cruel and iniquitous traffic is carried on in a similar manner, and with unabated activity, at the present day.

Respecting Western Africa, the Arabians do not seem to have been very accurately informed. They describe the Atlantic as only about five hundred miles beyond Tocrur, although two thousand would have been nearer the truth; perhaps they mistook the great lake Dibbie for the sea. They mention the Island of Ulil, whence were brought great quantities of salt, an article in constant demand throughout Soudan. Though called an island, it was probably Walet, the great interior market for that mineral; but all the features of the country around and beyond it seem to have been confusedly blended together by the Mohammedan authors.

At the time when the Arabian geographers flourished, the Christian religion was professed, not only in Abyssinia, but even to the northern frontier of Nubia, at Syene. The bigotry and dislike produced by hostile creeds not only deprived these writers of the means of information, but led them to view with contempt every thing relating to countries accounted infidel. Their notices, therefore, of the regions in the Upper Nile, and along the western shores of the Red Sea, are exceedingly meagre. It was otherwise, indeed, with the eastern coast of Africa on the Indian Ocean; for the people of southern Arabia, who were then actively employed in commerce and naviga tion, had not only explored, but formed establishments