SOODAN, or BELED EL SUDAN (` the Country of the Macke), is a term applied by the Arabs to designate the interior of Africa; but, according to the geographical porition of the country in which it is used, this term indicates different portions of that continent The inhabitants of Egypt apply it to the countries south of the second cataract of the Nile (22' N. lat.), and a province has been formed of the countries in these parts which have been subjected to the sway of the pasha of Egypt, under the name of Beled el SOclan. [Senosen.] The Arabs who trade to or are settled in Boruou, which is about 400 miles west of the Egyptian province, call 'Widen' the countries which are still farther west, towards the middle course of the Quorra. The geographers of Europe designate all the countries along the southern edge of the Sahara from Senegambia and Sierra Leone on the west, to Dar-Fnr on the east, by the term Sfidan. Thus Stolen extends from 10' W. long. to 25' E. long., and is 2400 miles in length, with a supposed average width of about 350 miles, including an area of about 900,000 square miles. Its northern boundary towards the Great Desert is imperfectly known. In one part, at the most northern bend of the Quorra or Joliba, the fertile country extends to 17' N. • but in other places, as in the vicinity of Lake Tchad, it does not come up to 14' N. lat.. West of the course of the Quorra the southern boundary is formed by the Kong Mountains, between 7° and 11' N. lat.
Nearly up to the end of the last century this country was only known by the descriptions of the Arabian geographers and of Leo Africanus. At that time (1790) the first European traveller, Houghton, entered Sadao from the west; but be wee killed in 1791. The sue seeding travellers were Mungo Park, in 1796 and 1797, Denham and Clapperton, between 1822 aud 1826, Cailli6 in 1828, and Richard Lander, in 1830. The information we possess refers chiefly to the western and central districts of Sudan, the eastern not having yet been described by any European traveller.
Western &den comprehends the country west of the course of the Quorra, from Timbuctoo to its entrance into the delta at Abbrizaca.
The southern border of Western SOclan is formed by the Kong Moun tains. Most of the rivers that descend from this mountain range to the south and north have very little water in the dry season. In tho
eastern part of the Kong Mountains the surface generally consists of a fertile soil, covered iu some places with forests, but in others cleared and cultivated. The forests consist chiefly of tall trees, the inter vening spaces being covered with luxuriant grasses. These forests abound in deer, antelopes, lions, leopards, elephants, wild wet, buffaloes, and hyreuaa ; and in the Quorra the hippopotamus is common. The country, where cultivated, yields plentiful crops of indigo, tobacco, yams, wheat, and other kinds of corn, rice, onions, and other vegetables; and in the extensive pastures, great numbers of horses, bullocks, sheep, and goats are fed. In the neighbourhood of the river Quorra, the region is rather densely inhabited, and villages are numerous. There are also several large towns.
The country extending from the northern base of the Kong Moun tains to the edge of the Sahara may be considered as a plain, the elevation being inconaiderablo, and at wide intervals apart. The soil of this extensive tract is chiefly gray sand, alternating in some places with red sand, and frequently mixed with gravel, argillaceous earth, clay, and mould. In the vicinity of the watercourses lit is subject to inundations for more than six months of the year. The more distant parts have the advantage of abundant rains. There are many shoe trees and ned6a, the fruits of which are much esteemed by the natives; and the indigo plant abounds in several parts. The more fertile tracts are cultivated. The most common objects of cultivation are maize, millet, rice, tobacco, yams, onions, cotton, French beans, and water melons. The colat or gory nuts are here collected, which constitute an important article of commerce all over the Western Wan, and are carried from the Kong Mountains to Timbuctoo, and even to Tripoli. Domestic animals abound in most parts, especially black cattle of good size, sheep, and goats; the horses are of a. small breed, except at Tangrera, where they are rather large and of fine form. There are also asses and abundance of poultry. Dogs, serpents, lizards, rats, and mice serve as food to the natives. Fish abounds in the rivers. Wild bees are numerous, and wax and honey are largely consumed, and are also sent to other parts of Africa.