26 
considerable quantity of gold, as does 
also the whole plain of Nataken. From 
all these circumstances M. Golberry is 
induced to believe, that the ‘mountains 
surrounding Natakon contain in their 
‘beds and cayérns the real gold mine ; 
while the monticule of Natakon itself is 
nothing more than an emanation from 
the main body. ¥§ 
In the year 1786, M. Golberry’car- 
ried on a small-trade for gold at'Galam; 
that which he received was made into 
ear-rings and other ornaments. ‘It was 
assayed ut ‘Paris, in 1788, and, accord- 
‘Ing to the account of the assayer, it 
was twenty-three carats fine. It was 
sold at the rate of twelve francs per 
drachm: and a gold ear-ring, from the 
mine of Natakon, in the form of a heart, 
of three inchesin length, weighing more 
“than seven grains of fine coloured gold, 
was examined by M. Sage, professor of 
- Mineralogy, and one of the directors of 
the mint, and discovered to be. gold 
of the purest quality. 
Without noticing the plans which M. 
Golberry has suggested. to his country, 
relative to Bambouk and its gold mines, 
we shell preceed to abstract his ac- 
cotint of the gum, and gumetrade of 
Senegal. 
This vegetable secretion, so useful in 
@ great variety of manufactures, was 
formerly brought frem Arabia to Mar- 
seilles, by way of Egypt; the gum 
from Arabia being the only one in re- 
quest, till the Dutch introduced that of 
the Senegal into Europe, at the com- 
mencement of the 17th century. When 
the lrench became masters of this river, 
and of the harbours of Areuin and 
Portendick, they soon found that in the 
southern parts of the great desart of 
Zaara, near the Senegal, amidst sandy 
and uncultivated regions, there existed 
three considerable forests of gum trees. 
These were minntely examined, and va- 
rious experiments evinced that the gum 
itself might rank with the best gums of 
Arabia. Some subsequent experiments 
made by the merchants of Rourdeaux 
and Nantz, have even decided its su- 
periority. hese experiments were made 
public; they stamped .a value on the 
" ‘gum. collected by the Moors of Zaara, 
‘which became celebrated, and is at the 
present moment one of the most impor- 
tant atticlesof commerce. Itisemployed 
jn the manufacture of silks, gauzes, lawns, 
hats, cambrics, printed: linens, &c.; jt 
is used: by painters, and, gilders; and: is 
VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, 
moreover employed in confectionary 
medicinal preparations. Senegal can tur- 
nish Europe with an annual supply of 
two millions of pounds weight; to cole 
lect this, and convey it to’ France, would 
require @ large capital, and employ a 
number of vessels and sailors. This 
quantity of gum, at the average price 
of 55 sols per pound, will produce a 
sale of 3,500,000 livres, aud a profit 
ef nearly 3,000,000.. 
The tree which yields this gum isa 
species of mimosa, and called by the 
Moors and negrces near the river, 
Uereck, when it produces white gum, 
and Nelveb when it yields the red.— 
These two species are the most sume- 
rous, and grow abundantly on those 
white quicksands along the coast from 
Cape Blanco, of Barbary, to Cape Verd; 
and on those to the north of the Sene- 
gal, from Galam to. the factory called 
the Desart ‘here are many other 
species hestdes these two, which, how- 
ever, are the most valuable as well as 
the most numerous; 2nd of which there 
are three large forests, those of ‘Sahel, , 
Al-Fatack, and E)-Hiehar, situated at 
the southern extremity of Zaara, at 
about an equal distance from the Sene- 
gal and the sea.” 
The gum-tree of the Senegal is ge- 
nerally about 18 or 20 feet high, and 
about three feet in circumference ; it is 
crooked, irregular, and inelegant; the 
stocks of a year old rather resembling 
bushes than shrubs. This effect is at- 
tributed to the aridity and badness of 
the soil; but more particularly to the 
keenness and malignity of .the east 
winds, which prevail here throughout 
the winter. ‘Che leaves of the tree are 
alternate and bifid, very small, and of 
a dry dirty green: the branches are- 
thorny, from,the part where the leaves 
project ; the fowers are white and very 
short; the trunk is full, hard, and dry ; 
the bark smooth, and of a dark green 
colour. They who'desire more detailed 
information relative to the guin-trees of 
the Senegal, are referred to the works of 
M. Adanson, who resided in Senegal 
upwards of fifty years, and has given 
a description of every species which 
growsin the countries between the twen- 
ticth and fourteenth degree of north 
latitude, and from the borders of the ~ 
Atlantic Ocean to the eighth longitudi- 
nal degree from the island of Ferro. . 
The Moorish tribes, who frequent the 
western part of the Senegal, for the pur- 
