aSl Mr. Pari*s Travels In the inUrisr Parts of Africa, 



' have fufliclent (kill to convert thefe materials into tolerably fine cloth of a rich blue colour^ 

 and they make good foap from a mixture of ground nuts and a ley of wood alhes. 



Their trade with the Whites is compofed of flaves, gold-duft, ivory, and bees-wax. Their 

 inland trafSc confifts chiefly of fait procured from the Moors, and warlike ftores obtained 

 from the European traders on the Gambia river. Thefe articles are fold again to itine» 

 tant merchants called Slatees, who come down annually from diftant countries, fome of 

 which are unknown even by name to the natives of the coaft, with flaves and a commodity- 

 called fhea-toulou, or tree-butter. This butter, in Mr. Park's opinion, befides the advan- 

 tage of its keeping without fait the whole year, is whiter, firmer, and of a richer flavour 

 than the beft butter he ever taftcd made from cow's milk. The tree which affords it very 

 much refembles the American oak ; and the nut, from the kernel of which the butter is 

 prepared by boiling it in water, has fomewhat the appearance of a Spanifli olive, and 

 is enveloped in a fweet pulp under a thin green rind. The growth and preparation of 

 this commodity are among the firft objefts of African induftry in the Eaftern States, to 

 which Mr. Park had accefs. The natives of the Gambia countries are alfo fupplicd, ia 

 confiderable quantities, with fweet-fmelling gums and frankincenfe from Bondou. 



The government in all thefe petty States, though monarchical, is no where abfolute. 

 The chiefs form an ariftocracy, which greatly reftrains the powers of the Sovereign, and 

 prevent him from declaring war or concluding peace without their confent. Every confi- 

 derable town is governed by a magiftrate, whefe ofKce is hereditary, and who collefls the 

 duties and cuftoms from traders, which are paid in kind. The lower orders or bulk of the 

 people are'in a ftate of flavery or vaflalage to individual proprietors; but the power of the 

 mailer, as well with regard to treatment, as the difpofal of the flave to a ftranger, is limited 

 with regard to natives. Thefe indulgencies are not however extended to captives taken 'n\ 

 war, or obtained in traffxc. 



To return to Mr. Park, whom we left at Jarra in the power of the Moors, a fet of the 

 worft fanatics, who confider it as a meritorious a£t to deftroy a Chriftian. After a fort- 

 right's waiting, permiiEon arrived from All, the Moorifli chieftain or king of the country, 

 for him to proceed in his journey to the eaftward. With much difficulty, danger and infult, 

 he fucceeded in palling through a diftridl of near two degrees in length, and was within 

 two days journey of the frontier town of Bambarra, when he was carried back to the 

 Moorifh camp by order of the chief. On his arrival he was thrown into confinement, in 

 which he remained for eight or ten weeks expofed to daily infult, robbed of all his effeiSts, 

 in danger of perifhing from the frequent want of food and every other neceflary of life, 

 with no other probable coufequence to expedt than ultimately to perifh by the caprice or fa- 

 naticifm of the barbarians around him. Here it was that he learned fome particulars of the 

 death of Major Houghton, who was feduced into the Defert by the Moors, robbed of all 

 his property, and died either for want of fuftenancc, or by the violence of thofe who 

 refufed to fuppiy that want. For the particulars of Mr. Park's adventures we muft wait 

 till his work appears. He fucceeded in July 1796 in efcaping from his oppreflbrs. He 

 was fortunate enough to procure his own horfe, faddle and bridle, a (tvf articles of his ap- 

 parel, and his pocket compafs, which he had concealed in the fand. The joy he experienced 

 at his efcape foon fubfiJed into more anxious emotions. Alone in the woods of Africa, ex- 

 pofed to the ferocity of wild beafts, and the dread of meeting again with men more fero- 

 cious 



