The English settlements are principally on 'the Gambia. [Gunn* CoLo:nr.] The Portuguese settlements are dispersed along the banks of the different arms of the Rio Grande and on the Casamanzn. The principal settlement is Bina°, a well-built fort and town on a largo and fertile island of the Jabs branch of the Rio Grande. It has about 3000 inhabitants, and an excellent and spacious port : the population con sists chiefly of mulattoes and blacks. Higher up the same branch of the Rio amide is Jeba, with a population short of 1000 inhabitants, which likewise consiata of blacks and mulattoes. Oa the southern branch of the Rio Grande is Mule, a mercantile establishment, and on the northern or Cacheo branch the town of Cached, a considerable place with a harbour, which however is only accessible to vessels drawing 10 feet of water, as • bar runs across the mouth of the river. In the country of the Feloops, between the Cachets branch of the Rio Grande and the Gambia, the Portuguese have several settle meets, as at Zinghiochor and Mahia Kakonda on the Casamanza River, and at Vintang on a small river which falls into the Gambia. To all these places the natives bring ivory, wax, hides, horns, and some gold, the greater part of which is shipped to England from Bianco and Cacheo. Many Portuguese have settled in this country as agriculturists, and have married black women. The number of mulattoes in these parts is considerable. • Nearly all the articles of commerce which are exported from the European settlements in Senegambia are brought from the interior by small caravans or cafilas, which sometimes proceed to the coast, but generally stop at certain places where commercial establishments are found, and take in exchange for their goods, fire-arms, powder, India goods, coral, amber, glass beads, Iron, tobacco, rum, and cutlery.
Though a great part of Senegambia is rich in iron-ore, the process of obtaining the metal from it is so rude and requires so much labour, that many of the natives prefer buying it from Europeans.
Ounsuree with Sada,' and considerable commerce is carried on between Senegambia and the countries farther east. The principal articles of trade are salt, slaves, and gold. A largo portion of gold collected in the countries situated on the banks of the upper branches of the Senegal goes to Timbuctoo, and thence to the countries on the south of the Mediterranean. The cafilas by which this commerce is carried on follow two routes. The most northern departs from the Senegal to the kingdom of Kajaaga, or Upper Galas, to which country the traders go from all parte of Senegambia. Hence the road runs east-north-east to Yarns, and then east to Benown in Ludemar. From Benown it continues east through countries which are little inhabited on account of their sterility, to \Valet in Bcroo. From Valet it again passes through deserts, until it approaches the Joliba near Baraeanga, whence it continues at a short distance from the banks of the river to Timbuctoo. The southern caravau-routo leads from the banks of the Gambia through Neola, Dandle, and Konkodes, to the great wilderness of Jallon Kadoo, which, having traversed from west to east, It passes over the mountain range between Kamilla and Bammakoo. At Bsmmakoo the goods are embarked on the Joliba, and descend to Yamins, Sego, Sanaanding, Jenneh, and Timbuctoo.
(Mnngo Park, Travels in the Interior Dietricts of Africa; Mollien, Travels in Africa to the Sources of the Senegal and Cambia; Gray end Dochard, Thsreis is Western Africa ; Cailli6, Trarel4 through Central Africa to Tiadnactoo ; London Geographical Journal.)