The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-12-31
WHOLE NO. s9O8.
ToMRuCToo-

| by the annexed extract of letter, it will be
seen that the journey to Tombuctoo which has
been the object of SO much curiosity among
travellers in Africa, and which has cost so many
/ lives, has at last been successfully made by q
French gentleman, M Cailie) who has recent
| ly returned to France, and gho will, probably,
soon publish full account of his travels in At
RIGA. Tne letter was addressed to the French
Academy of Sciences, and translated from \
French paper by the editor of the New York
American Il
awhile at Senegal in 1896, determined j
30 explore Central Africa. Accordingly, on
the fS4h of April, 1927, left Cacandy on
the Rio Nuenez, and joined caravan Of
! Mandingo merchants, and embarked upon
the Niger. Thanks to my Arab dress, the
/ nuInDefiess uIncutIes, inse parable from,this
long voyage, were considerably diminish
| ed. | clambered without obstacle the high
est mountains of Senegambia and of Foota
Jalloo-the countries of Kanhan, of Was
soulo, &c, and arrived at Time, village
situated on the south side of Bambara, and
inhabited by Mabometan Mandingos. Ire-
manned here five months, detained by Sc
we're illness. The 9th of January, 1928,
recommended my voyage. / visited the
island and city of Jenna. | sailed in yea'-
sci of60 tons for Tombuctoo.--l there ar
! rived after a-!"=I and tedious voyage Of
two months duration. This city is situated
five miles north of Cabra, in the midst Of a
plain of shifting sand, where nothing ever
grows but stunted shrubs. I remained
] there fortnight studied the manners
and customs of the inhabitants, the com
merce and resources of the country, and I
learnt all possibly could about this hither-
to unexplored region. l then bent my steps
northward, to cross the grand desert, and
arrived at El-Arawan. This city is six
: days journey north of Tomhuctoo, and--is
the storehouse of the salt which is trans
ported to Sansanding and Yamina. Its
soil is sandy and sterile, and the scorching
easterly winds are there ever prevalent.
continued my journey northward, and ar
. rived at the Well of Tehgna, eight days
Journey from El-Arawan, and from thence
penetrated into the desert. The soil was
composed of shifting sand and rocks OIL
white and grey quartz. After two months
journey in this horrible desert, arrived al
/ Taflet-I stopped at Fee, Mequinez, Ra.
bah, and Tangiers. At this latter place
was most Hospitality received by the French
Vice Consul, and paid all the attention my
sutterings and privations required. Soon
after embarked on board schooner fol
Toulen, where / now am.n
ANOTHER letter, written By a friend. of Afr.
fCniiie, States, that, :" as he only travelled
twelve geographical miles by day, he had
time to examine attentively all the places
he passed through. He crossed the couB
tries of Bella Kankan and Massoulo, al
most unknown to US; and before he reach
ed Jenna he visited Sansanding, Gega, Ga
nina, and Bammaken. Such IS the outline
of Caille's voyage of 1900 miles-a thou
sand of which were in countries hitherto
! almost unknown. We may already safely
conclude, that Tcmbuctoo is nearer the
! ocean, and more towards the south, than it
7 is usually placed on maps. This voyage
confirms the prevalent opinion, that this
great city is situated nearly in the 4th de-
gree of longitude, east from Paris, and in
the 10th degree of north latitude.