I just got back from Mali.

Sailed down the Nigeria river From Macina to Mopti Following the steps of my ancestor Louis Jaccoliot (my great- great- great grand- Father) who in 1879 reached the mythic city of Timbuktu and who wrote among others: “Voyage aux Rives du Niger” Edtion Marpon&Flammarion c1885

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jacolliot
http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Louis_Jacolliot