[Footnote 128: It has been concluded (though erroneously, as the following will show) from the circumstance of the joint salt-caravan of the Itísan and Kél-gerés, in the letter of the sultan of Ágades, being called only after the former tribe, that these two tribes were identical. The Itísan, as “Benú Itísan,” are mentioned by Ebn Khaldún among the clans of the Sanhája, vol. i. p. 195., Arab. t.; vol. ii. p. 3., trad. par le baron de Slane.] [Footnote 129: These, in the form of Ajdaranín, are mentioned by Bello, in his geographical introduction to his historical work (Clapperton’s Travels, Appendix II. p. 160.), among the first Berber tribes who came from Aújila and took Ahír (Aïr) from the Sudán inhabitants of Góber.] [Footnote 130: This is the tribe of which Bello speaks (Clapperton’s Travels, ii. p. 160.) when he says “they appointed a person of the family of Ansatfen.” But his knowledge of the Tawárek was very insufficient; and the chapter to which that passage belongs is full of confusion.] [Footnote 131: The tribe of the Tilkátine, appearing here among the clans of the Kél-gerés, is of the highest historical interest; for there can be no doubt of their being identical with the tribe of the Tel-káta mentioned by Ebn Khaldún (vol. i. p. 195. Arab. t., vol. ii. p. 3. trad. par le baron de Slane) as the most noble and predominant among all the sections of the Sanhája.] [Footnote 132: The form of this name seems to indicate the sub-Libyan influence which this subdivision has undergone.] [Footnote 133: The list of all the villages and towns of Aïr, given in the note at the end of the first volume of Mr. Richardson’s Journal, is in general, I think, exact; there are only two mistakes of importance—with regard to the population of Talázeghrín, and that of Áfasás (p. 341.), each of which places is stated to have 1000 male inhabitants, while the whole population scarcely reaches that number. On the other hand, the estimate of the population of Ágades at 2500 (p. 343.) is too low. Besides, some places are left out there, such as Iséllef, the residence of Dídi’s wife, and some others. I have to regret the loss of a paper which I sent home from Aïr, where a topographical arrangement of the villages had been attempted.] [Footnote 134: In the account of the expedition of the Bórnu king Edrís Alawóma, of which I shall have to speak in the second volume, no mention is made of this salt-trade of the Tébu; but from this silence no conclusion can be drawn as to the non-existence of the salt-trade at that time. On the contrary, we may conclude from the interesting account of Edrísi (transl. Jaubert, vol. i. p. 117. f.) who certainly means to speak of the salt-trade of the Tébu country, although he uses the term “alum,” that this article formed a very important staple in remote times.] CHAP. XV. RESIDENCE IN TINTÉLLUST.