ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews political and commercial expedition to some of the most important kingdoms of Central Africa. 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 Wada, Bornou, Soudan, and Timbuctoo. Wada sends to the coast at Bengazi a biennial caravan, accompanied by a large number of slaves. Bornou sends to the coast by way of Fezzan, chiefly slaves; but a quantity of ivory is now likewise forwarded by this route. Soudan exports slaves, senna, ivory, wax, indigo, skins, etc,. 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.
