MANDARA, an independent kingdom of Western Africa, situated to the south of Bornou. It is overlooked by the central range of the Mountains of the Moon, which attain their greatest elevation to the southward of this territory. Those parts of the mountains examined by Major Denham consist of enormous blocks of granite, both detached and reclining on each other, and presenting the most rugged faces and sides. The interstices and fissures appeared to be filled with a yellow quartzose earth, in which grow mosses and lichens, as well as trees of considerable size. At the base of these mountains, and also at a considerable elevation on their sides, are incumbent masses of decomposed fragments of primitive rocks, recompounded by a species of natural cement. A number of petrified shells were found confusedly mixed with fragments of granite, quartz, sand, and clay, and in some instances imbedded in the rocks. Mandara consists of a fine valley watered by various springs. Amongst the various specimens of the vegetable kingdom, are numerous fig-trees, and a tree bearing a white and fragrant blossom, resembling the zeringa. This kingdom was formerly comprehended within the territory of the sultan of Karowa, a country bordering upon it to the south-west, but which was wrested from the herdy or pagan sovereign by the neighbouring Fellatahs. His son, however, recovered it from them, and succeeded in keeping possession of it, chiefly, it is said, in consequence of his having embraced the Mahommedan faith. The principal Mandara towns, eight in number, all stand in the valley. The inhabitants of these, as well as of the villages by which they are surrounded, profess Islamism; but the pagans are far more numerous, and their dwellings are seen every where in clusters on the sides, and even on the tops, of the hills which immediately overlook the capital. They hold the sultan in great dread, and occasionally propitiate his favour by presenting him with leopard-skins, honey, and slaves, as peace-offerings, [7:14:229]besides asses and goats, with which their mountains abound. Mora, the capital of Mandara, is situated nearly facing the north, under a semicircular ridge of very picturesque mountains. These natural barriers form a strong rampart on every side but one, which, however, the sultan is able so to defend as to bid defiance to the attacks of the Fellatahs. When Major Denham visited this kingdom, he found the sultan surrounded by about 500 horsemen, posted on a rising ground about a mile from Delow, the most northern town in Mandara. These soldiers were finely dressed in Soudan tobes of different colours (chiefly dark blue, and striped with yellow and red), bornouses of coarse scarlet cloth, and large turbans of white or dark-coloured cotton. Their horses were beautiful, being larger and more powerful than any in Bornou, and they were managed with great dexterity. The country to the extreme south is inhabited by the Musgow people, a rude and savage race. During the visit of the traveller above named, he witnessed the arrival of an embassy of between twenty and thirty individuals of this tribe, mounted on horseback, and bringing two hundred of their fellow-creatures, and fifty horses, besides other presents, to the sultan. They were covered only with the skin of a goat or leopard; and round the necks of each were long strings of the teeth of the enemies whom they had slain in battle. Teeth and pieces of bone were also suspended from the clotted locks of their hair, and their bodies were marked with red patches in various places. Dirkullah, a part of this mountain territory, is occupied by Fellatahs, who have their villages strongly fortified, and fight desperately with poisoned arrows, by means of which they on one occasion put to flight the whole force of Bornou and Mandara, though aided by a numerous and well-armed body of Arabs. They are now, however, kept in subjection by the sultan of Mandara. The common people of this country paint their bodies, wrap themselves in the skins of wild beasts, and subsist chiefly upon fruits, honey, and the fish drawn from large lakes.