Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/583

 A few other towns have been founded on the southern frontier of the desert. About 60 miles cast of Arawan, on the route of the now-abandoned Es-Suk, stand the towns of Mabruk (Mebruka) and Mamun, both near the Tanezruft desert and both inhabited by Negroes, who also acknowledge the supremacy of the Berabish Arabs. A more important place is Walata, which is said to be as large as Timbuktu, and which was visited in 1860 by the Senegalese officer, Alium Sal. It lies about 240 miles to the south-west of Arawan, north of the El-Hodh plateau, covering aof nearly half a square mile in an arid district bare of all vegetation I tence Lge Arawan, it depends for its supplies on passing caravans, but has tevenaul become a great centre of trade between the Senegal tribes and Tujukants of Tenduf.

A special local industry is the manufacture of sacks and tobacco-boxes sold in every market of the Sudan.

In the neighbourhood are seen numerous ruins, the habitations of a now-vanished people. But towards the north-west, in the direction of Adrar, follow several oases, amongst others that of Tishit, capital of the Kounta tribe, The town contains about six hundred stone houses, This borderland of the Sahara is roamed over by several Arab tribes, such as the Ulud-Mahmud, Ulad-Embarek, Ulad-en-Nacer; but the settled population of the oases are Azers, a Negro people of Mandingo stock originally from beyond the Senegal river.

In the sahel or coastlands there are no towns, but only a few mines and camping-grounds. Termasson, lying in the territory of the Reguibat (Rgueibat) tribe, south of the Wed Draa, is now little more than a group of stores where the surrounding Arabs keep their supply of corn. Zemmur and Grona, on the waterparting between the Sukiet-el-Homra and Juf basins, although figuring as towns