TIMBUCTOO, a city in the interior of Northeru Africa, is situated is about 17° 8' N. lat., 2° 58' W. long., ou the declivity of an incon siderable eminence about 8 miles N. from the Niger, and at tho most northern part of its course where it makes the great semicircular bend from the north-east to the south-east direction. Cabra, the port of Timbuctoo, stands at a distance of 5 miles from the town, and is connected with the Niger by a narrow canal. Between Cabra and Timbuctoo there are two lakes. A wady, filled during the rainy season with a stream of water, extends from north-east of Timbuctoo, and, passing to the south of that town, disembogues into the Niger to the south-west of it All round the wady extend immense plains of loose shifty sands of a yellowish-white colour. Timbuctoo has been from remote antiquity the meeting-place of many converging lines of traffic. It is the nearest point at which the traders from the commercial districts that skirt the coast, of the Mediterranean west of Berea, and of the Atlantic north of Cape Nun, can strike, after crossing the great desert, the fertile lands extending to the south-east and south-west along the Upper and Lower Niger.
Leo Africanus states that Timbuctoo was built by Mann Suleiman, about the year 610 of the Hejirn (to. 1214), and that it soon became the capital of a powerful state. But there is strong reason to suppose that either the Kepha or Nigeira Metropolis of Ptolemy, previously occupied the site of the town built by Mausa Suleiman. Indeed, accord ing to an author quoted by Cooley ('Negroland of the Arabs,' p. 63), a town bearing the name Tonauti existed hereabouts as early as the year 297 of the liejira. Rulers with the title Manse continued to govern Timbuctoo from 010 to 792 of the Ileitis. Tho chiefs of Marocco and Fez rendered Timbuctoo tribntary, and from that time the com munications of the Arabs with that country became more frequent and regular. Leo Africanus mentions that the grand mosque of the town and the palace of the king were built by an architect from Granada. The Arab conquerors allowed however the native dynasty to remain on the throne. The expulsion of the Arabs from Spain, and the weakening of the Arab power in North Africa by the Turkish conquests in Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers, in the course of the 15th century, increased the impunity of the predatory nomad hordes; and about the same or a little later, the formation of settle ments on the west coast of Africa, first by the Portuguese and after wards by the English and French, by creating a new line of traffic with the interior, diminished the importance of Timbuctoo as a com mercial entrep6t. About the year 1500 a negro general of Soniheli, king of Timbuctoo, raised the standard of revolt on the death of his master, overturned the Moorish supremacy, conquered a number of the neighbouring provinces, and recalled to Timbuctoo a part of the trade which had left it for Jenn6 on the Niger. About 1670 Timbuctoo seems to have fallen under the dominion of the king of Bambarra. Since 1727 it appears to have been governed by a negro ruler, that is, by one who is neither an Arab, nor a Tnarik, nor a Fellatah.
Cailli6 estimates the permanent inhabitants of Timbuctoo at from 10,000 to 12,000. After the arrival of the caravans the town assumes for a portion of the year a much more popnlous and probably a much more bustling appearance. The streets are clean, and wide enough
to allow three horsemen to pa's abreast. The houses are of sun-dried bricke, and consist entirely of a ground-floor ; in some a sort of closet is constructed over the entrance ; the apartments are built on the four sides of an open court in the centre. Both within the town and round about it there are numerous straw huts of a conical form. The town is not walled. In the centre of the town is a square sur rounded by circular huts, and planted with a few trees: in the middle of it a large hole is dug as a receptacle for filth. Two enormous heaps outside of the town appeared to be accumulations of rubbish. Some buildings on the east side of the town are overwhelmed with sand. There are seven mosques; two of them large, and part of the largest apparently of considerable antiquity ; each is surmounted by a brick tower. To the west-south-west of the town are large excava tions from 35 to 40 feet deep, which collect in the rainy season the supplies of water which scree the inhabitants for drinking and culi nary purposes thronghout the year. There Is no spontaneous vege tation near the town except some stunted mimosa-trees. Near the reservoirs are some small plantations of bad tobacco. The Inhabit ants of Timbuctoo draw from Jenn6 their supplies of millet, rice, vegetable bntter, honey, cotton, Soudan cloth, pepper, onions, dried fish, pistachioes, Fire-wood and timber for buildiog, and provender for cattle, are brought from Cabra. They purchase cattle from the nomads of the tribe of Zawat, who possess the country two days' journey distant from Timbuctoo to the north-east; from the people of Sala, ten days' journey to the cast; and from the Tuariks, who are the most powerful race, on all aides. They procure salt for their own consumption and for the trade with Soudan from Ttideili, which lies twenty days' journey north-west of the town.
The negro and Arab Inhabitants of Timbuctoo ere exclusively engaged in trade. Tho negro inhabitants dress like the Moors, and aro zealous 1Johammodans. They have several wives, whom, as well as their slaves, they employ in menial affairs. Cailli6 represents all classes of the inhabitants as cleanly both in their persons and houses. Cabra, the port of Timbnctoo, is secured against inundations by being slightly elevated above the marshes; the sandy desert commences immediately to the north of it.. This place has about 1000 or 1200 inhabitants, all of tho poorer class, engaged in the service of the merchants of Timbuctoo. Tho dwellings are either mean houses or small huts; the street is neat, but the landing-place is dirty. The merchandise is conveyed between the port and Timbuetoo on asses and camels : these belong in general to the inhabitants of Cabra ; but sometimes the poorer Tnariks hire their camels for the purpose.
(C. Ptolemtei, Geographic, lib. viii. ; AiGeographical Surrey of Africa; 1Valckenaer, .Ilecherches GJographiques sac l'Interieur de 'Afrique ; Cooley, Negroland of the Arabs ; Travels of Park, Lyon, Denham, Clapperton, (ailli6, &c.) TIMOIt and TIMOR LAUT. [Susena IsaaNns, Lesser.]