Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-03-03
A VIEW OF TIMBUCTOO.

ity of the English in Africa awakened
the Gauls to realization of the danger
they were in. They saw that they would
not be able to resist any sudden move on
Great Britain's part so long as they were
practically outside of the city and de-
termined to reclaim that which had long
since been conceded to them. RESPONSE
bility for taking possession of the city
was disclaimed by the government, and
the act was said to be wholly unauthor
lied. Nevertheless it was noticeable
that the ministry declared in the cham
Der Of deputies that there could be nc
question of evacuating Timbuctoo. The
French flag had been raised, and it would
be an insult to French valor to lower il
voluntarily.
Timbuctoo lies on the borders of the
Sahara, about nine miles from the river
Niger. 1t has population of about 90,
600, which is greatly increased during
the season of trade, from November tc
January. The houses are closely packed
together and are mostly built of clay
and stone. Some of them are two sto
ries high and show considerable taste il
their decoration. The port of Timbuc
too is at Kabara, on the Niger, which
has vast artificial basin, but is access
ible for only four or five months in the
year, the stream at other times being toe
shallow for navigation.
The most valuable traffic is by cara
vans, for which Timbuctoo is the cen
trail station of northern Africa. Colo
dust is the great article of trade. The
merchants of Timbuctoo are usually
agents of those at Mogadore, Morocco
Fee and other places in northern Africa
The inhabitants are mixed population
of negroes, Tuariks, Bambarras, Man
dingoes, Arabs and Fulahs.
The city dates from the twelfth cen.
fury, but it was long known in Europe
only by reports of native travellers until
it was first reached by Major Laing in
1926 and furtively visited by Caille in
1928. Barth, the great scientific traveller,
spent seven months there in 1858 and col
lected a lot of valuable data. He was
the last white man to reach the city till
DR.. LEM went there in 1880 disguised as
Mahommedan pilgrim.
The town is not healthful. Numerous
pools of stagnant water between the city
Z
no public squares or gardens, and the
only verdure is four or five sickly little
trees. They only public buildings are
the mosques, and no European has ever
entered them except Caille. Schools are
connected with the mosques, and here
also are collections of manuscripts, many
Of them doubtless of much historical
Importance, though Barth translated and
published the most valuable of them.
Most of the inhabitants can read and
write and know large part of the Koran
by heart. Some of the men are renown-
ed for their learning. LEM says that if
he could have spared the money he might
have purchased some very interesting
manuscripts.
Timbuctoo today is only the shadow of
its former self. The time was when the
town did a large trade with the Mediter-
ranean states. Sultan Ell Kali of Moroc-
co planted wooden posts clear across the
desert to mark the best route for cara
vans between his dominions and Tim
buctoo. The Tuaregs have ruined this
caravan route and almost depopulated
the town.
It is still, however, the natural center
of commerce and the principal town of
the upper Niger. With Timbuctoo in
their hands, the French will control a
thousand miles of navigation on the great
west African river and may make the
place center of large influence for the
extension of their authority and trade.
There are at present no means of esti-
mating the future growth and prosper
r - \ H. u l.
assistancSof the railroads that are sure
lw opmin~