entury. It is calculated that the exports of Bengazi form one-third of
the whole of those of Tripoli.

Bornou sends to the coast by way of Fezzan, I am sorry to say, chiefly
slaves; but a quantity of ivory is now likewise forwarded by this route.

Soudan exports slaves, senna, ivory, wax, indigo, skins, &c. &c. Nearly
half of the commerce with this important country consists of legitimate
articles of trade and barter. This is very encouraging, and the brief
history of some of these objects of legal commerce is exceedingly
interesting. Wax, for example, began to be sent seventeen years ago;
elephants' teeth, fifteen; and indigo, only four years ago.

Timbuctoo now scarcely forwards anything but gold to the coast of
Tripoli, together with wax and ivory, but no slaves. The gold is brought
by the merchants in diminutive roughly-made rings, which they often
carry in dirty little bags, concealed in the breasts of their gowns.

I am exceedingly glad to learn that the Ghadamsee merchants, who
formerly embarked two-thirds of their capital in the slave-trade, have
now only one-fourth engaged in that manner. This is progress. It has
been partly brought about by the closing of the Tunisian slave-mart,
partly by the increase of objects of legitimate commerce in the markets
of Soudan. The merchants of Fezzan have still to learn that money may be
invested to more advantage in things than in persons; but their
education has been undertaken, and however slow the light may be in
forcing its way to their eyes, it will reach them at last, there can be
no doubt.

The trade in senna is always considerable. Last year a thousand cantars
were brought, from the country of the Tibboos and from Aheer. The latter
place supplies the best. New objects of exportation may no doubt be
discovered. Already gum-dragon and cassia have been added to the list of
articles brought from Soudan; and when once treaties of commerce have
been entered into, and merchants begin to find security in the desert
and protection from the native princes, there is no doubt that a very
large intercourse may be established with the interior countries of
Africa--an intercourse that will at once prove of immense benefit to us
as a manufacturing nation, and advance materially that great object of
all honest men, the abolition of the accursed traffic in human beings.
It is the latter object that chiefly occupies my mind, but I shall not
attempt to bring it before the native pri