to export their brethren as slaves. On this account, therefore, I take
great interest in whatever has reference to caravan trade.

There are now four general routes followed by the trading caravans from
the Barbary coast, leading to four different points of that great belt
of populous country that stretches across Central Africa,--viz. to
Wadaï, Bornou, Soudan, and Timbuctoo.

Wadaï sends to the coast at Bengazi a biennial caravan, accompanied by a
large number of slaves. The chief articles of legitimate traffic are
elephants' teeth and ostrich feathers. This route is a modern
ramification of interior trade, and was opened only during the last
century. 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.