Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-09-25

that from this sea the Nile OF Egypt takes
its rise, so that he calls it the same river ;
and that half way to Cairo there are great
falls and cataracts, (which prevent boats
from passing.--Tbis account of The source
of the Nile. may, However, be reasonably
doubted. The boats on the river are of a
middhng size, fit bo,tomed, having no
sails, and being constructed without nails.
| They are formed of the bark OF trees, and
some Of them are as large as frigate
! launch, or about 90 feet long. Our in
tormant, Hadjee Talub, adds, tina, croro-
clles abound in the river, are very vora-
| clous, and are taken by being harpooned
with an instrument with five pronss.--
here are vas: quantities Of fish III the
NIGER, which, from their color and size,
are supposed 10 be salmon. Hadjee Be-
nata states, that Timbuclou is three times
the size of Alexandria; and Hadjee Ia
| lub conceives the popula ton to be about
$4,000, and represents their character IS
being good and friendly, though h. has
heard Of people being shot for theft. and
OF offenders being beat on the back with
the skin OF an animal dried and cut into
thongs -. lie says there are cocoa nuts and
date. in abundance, and water melons in
great plenty, but all grow wild, there be-
ing no garden whatever. The woods in
the neighborhood of Timbuctoo, are des-
cribed as being full Of game, aud lions and
beasts OF prey are ol'en seen in the neigh
borhood of the tuwn.-Hares ami rabbits
are in vast quantities and the only dog
they have is greyhound, which is Tined
TO catch these animals u; cats they have
none. The city is well supplied with
every kind of provisions, and it is custo-
mary for the natives to eat elephants
flesh, which animal is stated to exist in
immense herds in the vicinity Their flesh
appeared palatable 10 Hadjee 1'aub, tas,-
ing like beef, but being quite whiie. They
ale feroCious animals, and will attack sin
gle persons, which obliges men who ride
alone 10 carry horn to highten them
away. There are two methods of hunting
the elephants, one by driving them into
the river, where men by swimming, get
on their backs, and cut and destroy them
the other, by driving them into pits, and
butchering them: a few are tanned.
&C As to their commerce, It is carried on
between Fee and 'Timbuctoo generally by
caravans, which leave the former place in
March and October, as does that of Mecca
at the same season. The articles which
sell best at TimbuCtou, are salt, tobacco,
European scarlet cloth, and English print
ed cottons, besides pistols and guns. This
tr tlic returns elep phi .nts' tecths, (of which
two are so large as TO be load for Ca
mel, slaves and gold.--The gold is gene
rally in small bags, in each of which is an
ounce valued at fifteen dollars it is ex-l
treme!y pure and fine they have also pie 1
ces of gold weighing about FIVE ounces.
This precious article is very common, ans
comes from the southwest, where it i
found in great quantities. The negro,i
wear bracelets anil other orname nts of tbs
metal, and Hadjee has presented Captain
Dundas with some gold articles, consstin;
OF part of necklace, pair of ar-rings,
and some braids for the hair, similar to tie
fi'agree work of the Archipelago of tn,
Eastern Seas; which he states that tie
" orkmen manufactured as they do in Java
and Sumatra, in The house of their employ
er, by whom they are hired like journey
men. The price of male slave is from
sixteen TO twenty dollars. /
g He speaks of tribe called Shullahs,
who ale savage race, living in leather ,
tents, and of warlike and brave spirit !
They are armed with long sword, sharp
Oh both sides, though some OF them Carry a
javelln. For deicnces they have a shield
made of leather, about five feet long md
four broad, which covers their whole per-
son. Their dress consists of blue shir,
and white trowsers.-He represents the
as being very fat, and having pro-
tuberance behind like The Hottehtot wo.
men of whom we have heard so much.-
The Shullahs receive certain tribute from
the negroes of Timbuctoo, and never cross
the river. During the summer they remain
two days journey to the east, but in win
ter come close to the city. The women
perform all the agricultural labors in the