230 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY from Macrizi an account of an eleven years' expedition of one of the Pharaohs into the west and south, which seems definitely to confer upon Borgu the honour of connecting the existing territory of British Northern Nigeria with the Egypt known to us in the Old Testament. The expedition took place some 1 700 years before Christ. The Pharaoh was king of Egypt when "a young Syrian, of the name of * Joseph the Truthful,' was sold by his brothers into Egypt." The Pharaoh of Joseph was known by many names. Amongst them the Copts gave him the name of " Barkhou." After a long struggle with Phoenician forces in the north, this Pharaoh subdued Syria, and then resolved to conquer the world to the south and west. He set out with an army of 700,000 men, marched westward to that point of Africa where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, crossed over to Spain, and, having conquered and imposed tribute as he went, he returned and marched eastward through the country of the Berbers. Thence he turned south, fought with various peoples, and sent a general before him to a town situated upon the "black water." The king of this town had never heard of Pharaoh, and being questioned about the water to the south, said that no one had ever navigated it, because of the mists which made it dangerous. When Pharaoh arrived, the native king offered presents, amongst them a mystic black stone, and fruits, chiefly bananas. Pharaoh then *' marched into the countries of the Soudan, and came to the country of the Dem-Dem cannibals, who marched against him entirely naked." He conquered them, and took the road to the **dark sea," but as mists arose, he returned northwards as far as a colossal statue of red stone, which bore the inscription, " Beyond me there is nothing." He appears then to have turned eastward. In his march he encountered various marvels which I will not relate, amongst other things a town of hermits or magicians living in the mountains, from whom he received good advice, and by whom he was shown