In the fourteenth century, Ibn Batuta, an abridged account of whose
travels has been recently translated by Professor Lee of Cambridge, made
a journey into Central Africa. After having travelled twenty-five days
with a caravan, he came to a place which Major Rennel supposes to be the
modern Tisheet, containing the mine whence Timbuctoo is supplied with
salt. The houses he describes as built of slabs of salt, roofed with
camels' hides. After other twenty days he reached Tashila, three days'
journey from which he entered a dreary desert, where was neither
sustenance nor water, but only plains and hills of sand. Ten days brought
him to Abu Latin, a large commercial town much frequented by merchants.
This place Mr. Murray conjectures to have been Walet, the only large city
in that quarter.

In twenty-four days Ibn Batuta reached Mali, which it has been found
impossible to identify with any modern city. He found a haughty potentate
residing there, whose subjects paid him the greatest deference,
approaching prostrate to the throne, and casting dust upon their heads.
The trees in this neighbourhood were of immense bulk; and in the hollow
cavity of one he saw a weaver carrying on his occupation. Near this he
saw the Niger, but conjectured it to be the Nile, and supposed it to flow
by Timbuctoo, Kakaw, (Kuku), Yuwi, and thence by Nubia to Egypt.

Leo Africanus penetrated into the interior of Africa about two centuries
after Ibn Batuta. From his description, it would appear that the aspect
of Central Africa had considerably changed during this interval.
Timbuctoo was a powerful and opulent kingdom; and Gago (evidently the
Eyeo of Clapperton), and Ghinea, (probably the Jenne of Park), were
flourishing cities. The merchants of Timbuctoo were opulent, and two of
them were married to princesses. Science and literature were cultivated,