f the ocean is urged by interest to seek freight for his
ship. And it is observed, that the ferocious appearance among the
Arabs, (which is too often assumed,) subsides in proportion to the
intercourse they have with merchants, who negociate with them for
the transport of their goods. Thus, at the _depots_ for camels
between the cultivated country and the Desert, viz. at _Akka,
Tatta, Ufran,_ and _Wedinoon_, the ferocity of the Arabs is greatly
lost in the commercial spirit and endeavour to let their camels on
hire to the merchants. The Mograffra, the Woled Abbusebah, and the
Tejakant Arabs, therefore, who possess the Sahara, from the shores
of the Atlantic to the confines of Timbuctoo, would act in concert
with the colony, and would have a joint interest in promoting their
commercial views. The Brabeesh Arabs who receive, occasionally,
tribute from Timbuctoo, would also find it expedient to promote the
commerce of Sudan, and the prosperity of Timbuctoo; both which
would necessarily be united to their own interest, and would
provide a demand for their camels.

If the profits of this commerce, when once established and secured
to the British, were to be cent. per cent., the whole would remain
a bonus to the colony. There would be no shereef of Fezzan, or
bashaw of Tripoli, to take their share of the profits, in any
shape, in exchange for the privilege of being suffered to pass
249 through their country. But, on the contrary, the Arabs of the
Mograffra and other tribes would find it so evidently their
interest and advantage to be friendly with us, that we might
absolutely have the entire command of the Desert, from the shores
of the Atlantic to the city of Timbuctoo, which would eventually
throw such a weight of power into our hands, as to make even that
city itself, in a manner, tributary to us.

A plan of this kind should be executed _upon a grand national
scale_, and be pursued with discretion and perseverance.

An attempt to penetrate to Timbuctoo, through Ashantee, and
establish a commerce through that country, might meet with
temporary success; but I apprehend that we should labour under the
same inconveniences, and be subject to the same arbitrary imposts
and exactions, whether in the shape of duties, part of the profits,
or otherwise, as w