HOUSSA, or HAoussA, the capital of a kingdom of the same name in Africa, is supposed to be situated two days journey south from the Niger, and about 200 miles south east from Tombuctoo. As it appears to have been un known to the African geographer Leo, it is suspected to be of modern date ; and, as Park could hear nothing of Tokrur or Tekrur, mentioned by Edrissi and Abulfeda as the metropolis of a great central empire of Africa, it is conjectured that Houssa must have superseded that an cient capital as the seat of government. Former accounts represented it as almost equal to London or Cairo in po pulation, and its inhabitants as acquainted with the art of writing, and other civilized attainments. The country along the banks of the Niger, between Houssa and Tom buctoo, was also described as fertile, and well inhabited. All the native travellers, with whom Park conversed, as sured him that Houssa was larger and more populous than Tombuctoo ; and that the state of trade, police, and government, were nearly the same in both places. The
recent Narrative of Adams, the American sailor, enables us to estimate the amount of this comparison, and to form some idea of Houssa, when he tells us, that Tombuctoo, to which it bears so near a resemblance, covers about as much ground as Lisbon with houses irregularly scattered ; that it contains no shops for its boasted commerce, but that the imported goods are deposited in the king's palace, till they are disposed of ; that this royal residence and warehouse is constructed of mud, and altogether mean in its appearance ; and that the principal food of the king and queen consists, like that of the people, of Guinea corn, boiled like burgoo, and eaten with goat's milk, to which, in the case of their majesties, is added the luxury of a little butter. See Park's Travels and .appendix; Adams' Narrative ; and TOMBUCTOO. (q)