a country of Central Africa, situated in latitude 16.30. north, and longitude 6.30. west, and bounded on the south by Kaarta and Bambara, on the east by Timbuctoo, and on the north by the Great Desert. The inhabitants are Moors, who live in a state of great barbarity and bigoted Mahommedanism. They entirely neglect agriculture, and depend chiefly for subsistence on the rearing of cattle. Their only knowledge of manufactures consists in converting iron into spears and knives, and weaving cloth from goats' hair. Almost every inhabitant capable of bearing arms is liable to be called out in a military capacity, and must furnish his own horse and equipments. The king administers justice, but seldom inflicts capital punishments. He is distinguished from his subjects only by his dress being of a finer cloth, and by a tent of larger dimensions; but in ordinary intercourse his rank is little attended to; and he often eats out of the same dish, and sleeps in the same bed, with his menials. It was in this country that the traveller Major Houghton met his death, and Mr Park suffered such a rigorous captivity. The chief town is Benown, a miserable place, consisting of a number of dirty-looking huts scattered irregularly over an extensive space, and resembling a camp rather than a town.