In the course of these journies, the hot winds called shume* are often so violent as to evaporate all the water carried in skins for the use of the passengers and dri vers ; and Mr Jackson was informed by the Arabs and the people of Soudan, that on these occasions, 500 dollars have been given for a draft of water, and that 10 or 20 dollars are very frequently given when a partial evapora tion has taken place. A caravan proceeding from Tim buctoo to Tafilelt in the year 1805, was disappointed at not finding water at one of the Oasis, and the whole party, consisting of 2000 men and 1800 camels, perished of thirst.
The dangers arising from the drifting of the sand, are often very considerable. When the loose sand is drifted along the plains by the shume, the akkabaahs are obliged suddenly to strike their tents, otherwise they would be all buried in the overwhelming torrent. On these occasions the desert has the appearance of a sea, as the drifting sand has a striking resemblance to the waves of the ocean. Hence the desert is emphatically called by the Arabs a sea without water.
The merchandise which is carried by these caravans are German linens, viz. plattilias, rouans, bretannias, muslins of different qualities, particularly mils, Irish linens, cambrics, fine cloths of different colours, coral and amber beads, brass nails, pearls, raw silk front Ben gal, coffee, hyson teas, refined sugar, and various manu factures of Fas and Tafilelt, namely shawls and sashes of silk and gold, haykst of silk, of cotton and silk mix ed, and of cotton and wool, and Tafilelt hayks. To these may be added woollen caps, which is the general cover ing for the head, turbans, Italian silks, cloves, nutmegs, ginger and pepper, cowries, Venetian beads, and a great quantity of tobacco and salt, which is the produce of Barbary and Bled-el-jerrede.
The articles which the caravans receive in exchange for these goods, are chiefly the produce of Soudan. They consist principally of gold dust, twisted gold rings of Wangara, open at the extremity for the insertion into the cartilage of the nose ; gold rings made at Jinnie bars of gold, elephant's teeth, gum of Soudan, grains of Sa hara (or grains of paradise ;) odoriferous gums, called el b'korr'h Soudan, employed for fumigation, and sup poscd to possess many virtues; and a great number of slaves front the slave-merchants of Wangara and Houssa, who bring them from the regions which border on the Mountains of the Moon. The Wangareen slaves are a
gross stupid people, scarcely above the level of the brute creation: while those from lloussa are acute, industri ous, and ihtelligent, and have an open and noble counte nance. The latter are therefore sold at a much higher price. The average price of a slave is about one hun dred ducats (Ss. 8d. sterling each ;) but Mr Jackson once saw a young girl of lIonssa, of exquisite beauty., sold at Marocco for 400 ducats. Ambergris and ostrich feathers, collected on the confines of the desert, arc added to the merchandise mentioned, Mt Jack son, to whom we are indebted for the preceding infor mation, has given a map stewing the track across the desert, as hillowcd by the caravans from Fas to 'nodule too.
Besides these caravans, there are three which are em ployed in carrying- slaves and other commodities front the interior of Africa to Cairo. The first of these sets out from Alourzonk, the capital of rezzuo, the seemed from Sennaar, and the third from Fur. The caravan front Mourzouk consists of between 100 and 300 travel lers from the empires of Bornou and Cashna, from the kingdom of Calfaba, and from several of the negro states, It sets out almost every year in the r October, or in the beginning of November, and generally finishes the journey in about 52 days. The following is a Table of its route to Caire Days.
7th, Reach Temissa.
9th, Arrive at the lofty rock of Xanibba, where they get a supply of water.
13th, Pass over a desert of black and naked rock. 17th, Cross a desert of soft and sandy stone, and reach the mountain of Ziltan.
21st, Four (lays spent in the passage of this mountain. 25th, Cross the sultry plain between Ziltan and the green heights of Sibbeel.
26th, Arrive at Angela, subject to Tripoli.
27th, Reach the village of Gui Xarrah.
28th, Arrive at the ascent of Mount Gcrdohah. 33d, Five days spent in passing this mountain.
36th, March through the plain of Gegabib, fertile in dates, and reach the desolate mountain I3uselenra. 39th, Enter the republic of See-wah.
40th, Proceed from See-wah the capital, to the village of Umseguer, at the foot of the mountainous de sort of Le Magra.