ROUTE TO HOUSA. 89 The country was rich and well cultivated ; they have a plant bearing a pod called mellochia, from which they make a thick vegetable jelly.

"* There is no artificial road from Timbuctoo to the Nile ; near the river the soil is miry. Shabeeny travelled from Timbuctoo to Housa in the hot weather when the Nile was nearly full ; it seldom falls much below the level of its banks ; he travelled on horseback from Timbuctoo to the river, and slept two nights upon the road in the huts of the natives. One of the principal men in the village leaves his hut to the travellers and gives them a supper ; in the mean time he goes to the hut of some friend, and in the morning receives a small present for his hospitality.

THE RIVER NEEL OR NILE.

The Neel El Kebeer (that is, the Great Nile,) like the Neel Masser or Nile of Egypt, is fullest The pod of the mellochia, which grows neai" Sallee and Rabat, is of an elongated conical form, about two inches long.

This is a common custom in West and South Barbary ; they always clear a tent for the travellers.

f Properly Enneel. El is the article ; but when it precedes a word beginning with a letter called a labial, it takes the sound of that letter. This error is committed throughout a book, lately published, entitled Specimens of Arabic Poetry, by J. D. Carlyle, Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge, 2d editimi, p. 53, Abdalsalam, instead of Abdassalum ; p. 59, Ebn Alrumi, instead of Ebn Arrumi ; and p. 65, Alnarhurwany, for Annarhurwany, &c. &c.

D t