The negroes of the Diriman Malaka and Kissoor villages, situated on the banks of the river, come to Timbuctoo in their canoes. They bring to that market slaves, ivory, dried fish, earthen pots, and various other articles, which they exchange for glass trinkets, amber, coral and salt. To the south of Timbuctoo there is a country called _Ginbala_, which extends far inland. The inhabitants are, as I was told, all Mahometans. They seldom come to Timbuctoo on account of the Tooariks, whom they dread. They are very industrious, and raise crops of millet and rice; they are hospitable to strangers, and have numerous herds of horned cattle and flocks of sheep and goats. They grow cotton, with which they manufacture stuffs for clothing. Having nothing to fear in communicating with Jenné, they prefer trading with that place. The Foulahs who inhabit the neighbourhood of the river also visit Timbuctoo. The few whom I happened to see were similar in features and colour to those of the Fouta-Dhialon. They were armed with several pikes. The trade of Timbuctoo is considerably cramped by the Tooariks, a warlike nation who render the inhabitants of the town their tributaries. The latter, for the privilege of carrying on their trade, give them what they demand, independently of the duties levied on the flotillas at Cabra. A refusal to satisfy them would be attended with serious consequences; for the Tooariks are very numerous, and sufficiently strong to cut off all communication between Cabra and Timbuctoo, when the city and its neighbourhood, having within themselves no agricultural resources, would be reduced to famine. The Moors entertain a profound contempt for the Tooariks, and when they would express their utmost hatred of them, they compare them to the christians, whom they suppose to be the same kind of vagabonds and depredators. I endeavoured to refute this error, which received implicit credit here. I assured them that the Europeans were not to be compared to those marauders; that, instead of robbing, they were always ready to assist and succour their fellow creatures. “But if the christians are so very good,” said they, “why did you not stay among them;” This question embarrassed me a little; but I replied that God had ordained it otherwise, and had inspired me with the idea of returning to my country to resume the religion of my fathers. The house of my host Sidi was constantly infested with Tooariks and Arabs. These people visit Timbuctoo for the sole purpose of extorting from the inhabitants what they call presents, but what might be more properly called forced contributions. I have often seen them sit in the court and insist on being supplied with food until the master sent them his tribute. They always come on horseback and their horses must be provided with forage.