Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1879 — Timbuctoo. [ARTICLE]

Timbuctoo.

London Times. The Oran (Algeria) Geographical Society has been fortunate enough to oatch an Isrealite Rabbi of Morroceo on his way to Paris from Tlmbuetoo, who has already twice traversed Central Africa. By means of questianing,

to extract some interesting information from the Rabbi as to the present condition of Tlmbuetno about Which existing Information is vague. Tim buetoo, the Babbi told them, lean Arab town in sense oi the term, tmilt absolutely like all those of the interior. The tuhakitanU are Foulah negroes, audtßere are /ho whites. There are, 'however>uwnotJmeß Jews from North Africa, who dome to trade, but they never settie)lhere. T|M*town is at an the town mm fact, a mass or villages, extending\>ver a very considerable area, The Niger, which pastes to the sotiCheast and is very broad: there Is abunaane orgish. Navigation ii carried on by means of oared cargos and rafts, constructed of peioes ot wood bound together by cords. The black called the Niger the Nile, or “El Bar,, r (Arab, “the sea”). The river is subject to regular flooding*, which fertilize the lspds on it banks, the only ones which are , cultivatable; the Inundation reaches the walls of the town. The country is very fertile; the crops are sorgho, millet rice, tomato, onions, turnips; indigo grows wild. There are also many ooeoanut trees, gum trees, and a tree which produces oil which the natives use for lighting. There are also forests of valuaMe timber trees. The country is governed by a Marabout, who takes the title of Bmtau; the present ruler is named Mohamet-et-Bekai He does not reside at Tlmbuctbo. His capital is Ahmet-Ellah, a town of more than 100,000 souls, situated about twelve leagues from 'llm buetoo. The roau connecting the two towns is covered with villages and gardens. The town of Timbuctoo is under the command of a Cald. who has very great authority, and who has under his orders aJt tax collector, also very powerful. The Hultan has no army, but when fighting is necessary everybody is a soldier. They are armed with bows and arrows: only the elieifs have guns, pistols aud sabers. Trade is carried on principally by barter or by means of cowries. Caravans bring cotton or linen goods, glass trinkets, mirrowß. arms, swords, guns, pistols (generally of English manufacture), Knives, needles, etc. Balt is a valuable import, a slave often being given for a kilogramme or two. The caravans take back loads of the grain of the country—rice, sorgho, millet, ostrich leathers, gum, ivory, gold dust, lead, oopper, etc. Trade in slaves is carried on on a very large scale. To the north Timbuctoo many camels are reared; to the south the people wauder about with herds of sheep and cattle. The Rabbi also gave some interesting information on the Bulmra. _