Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

THE KINGDOM OF BORNO.

THe wide-spreading Kingdom of Borno, also call'd Burney, * 1.1 formerly a Dwelling-place, as appears by the Customs thereof, of the antient People of Atlas; or, as Cluverius will have it, Garamantes, hath on the West for Borders the Kingdom of Guangara, with a vast Desart, above a hun∣dred and twenty five miles Eastward, and lieth near the Head-Fountain of Niger in the Wild of Seu; in the South, of Seth; in the North, the Desarts which reach to that side of Barka.

Urreta sets down for Borders in the East, Gaoga and Nubia; in the South, * 1.2 the Kingdom of Kiofara and Ethiopia, or Abyssine; in the West, the Inward Lybia, or Sarra; and in the North, Berdoa. It lieth, according to Urreta, from the six∣teenth to the twentieth Degree Northern Elevation; and, as Marmol, above eighty miles to the East.

There are many Cities, Hamlets and Villages, * 1.3 on that Plain where the King hath his Residence with his Army: the chief City is Borno, lying in eight and forty and a half Longitude, and in seventeen Degrees and ten Minutes North Latittude.

¶ THe Countrey is partly plain, and partly rough and Hilly, but fruitful; * 1.4 the Highlands also producing Mille, Corn, Wheat, and Tares; and feed also many Beeves and Goats.

¶ THose of the Plains are civilized, understanding Order and Honesty; * 1.5 amongst whom reside Forreign Merchants, both Blacks and Whites; and there also the King keeps his Court and Camp: but the Mountains are possessed with rough Herdsmen, which go almost stark naked; they are hard to be distinguished from their own Cattel, going in Beasts skins with Hair, in which they also sleep. Their course of life seems void of all humanity, for their Women and Children are not appropriated, but in common, none ac∣knowledging either as his peculiar, but pick where they please out of the Herd, according to the manner of the antient Garamantes; and like those of Mount Atlas, have no proper Names to be distinguished by one from the other, but every one hath his Nick-name, or Denomination derived from the shape of his person, whether deformed or comely; for Tall, they sur-name Long; the Short, Kort; the Bunch-shoulder'd, Crook-backs, &c.

This King of Borno is said to be very rich: for his Utensils both for Quirry, * 1.6 Kitchen, and Table, are all of massie Gold.

These Natives are not superstitious, neither Quarrel nor Dispute about Re∣ligion; for having none at all, Jews, Christians, and Mahumetans seeming to them all one, stand alike in their esteem.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Borders of the Kingdom of Borno.
• * 1.2

  Histor. de La. Ethiop. l. 1. c. 32,
• * 1.3

  Leo, p. 7.
• * 1.4

  The Condition of the Countrey.
• * 1.5

  The Constitution of the Inhabitants.
• * 1.6

  Vessels of massie Gold.