302 On the Gold of the Coast of Guinea. 



we might probably never have been al)le to obtain similar effects 

 iii the ordinary ph2enomena oi refraction, because they take 

 place at distances too short; instead of their becoming- possible 

 in the phaenoniena of polarization, which, depending on the re- 

 flecting powers, are exerted at distances nluch more consider- 

 able, as I have proved in several memoirs. 



LVI. On the Gtid of the Coast of Guinea, and Methods of ol- 

 iuinmg it in the Country., By DpNVs De Montfort, 

 Meinher of, aiul formerly Seo'eiary to, the French Society 

 Jor exploring the Interior ofyifrica*. 



.1 HK mountains in the interior of Africa contain in their sides 

 great numbers of gold mines . they are very seldom wrought, 

 however, the natives confining themselves almost entirely to 

 collecting the gold-dust which is found upon washing certain 

 earths which may be termed auriferous. In many countries of 

 this vast continent the earth is as it were impregnated with 

 gold ; and not oidy do we meet with it in powder, but in consi- 

 derable masses. This gold has formed and still forms the object 

 of a very extensive and lucrative commerce : the natives of the 

 interior bring it down to the inhabitants of the coast, and the 

 latter sell it in their turn to the Europeans, who have given it the 

 name of the GoldCoast, where it most abounds. Sometimes the 

 gold-merchants, who are also slave-dealers, treat directly with 

 strangers, l)ut tiie latter most frequently purchase gold which has 

 already passed fr in nation to nation and through several hands. 

 In spite of all the attempts which have been made, and parti- 

 cularly in latter times by the English, to penetrate into the in- 

 terior of Africa, this interior is still very little known to us, and 

 the city of Touibuctoo^ — that citv which is said to contain an 

 immense population, — is still problematical, for we have nothing 

 on the subject but the vague and lying assertions of some Moorish 

 and African merchants. Some of the latter undertake long vo\- 

 ages, whicli frequently last upwards of a month. Being situated 

 at two or tiiree iumdred leagues from the coast, they penetrate 

 as much further into the interior in order to p'ocure gold, slaves, 

 and elephants' teeth, which they deliver to the European vessels 

 or e&tablishmenls. In short, tliese people are very mysterious 

 in all their operations, and it is very difficult to obtain from them 

 the slightest intelligence : not only their taciturnity, their re- 

 serve and jealousy, are obstacles, but their various languages fur- 

 nisli others, for it requires an interpreter always to make oiie- 



* Bibtiother/ue Ph*/sico-Ecviwmiqu(, lorae ii. for IS 14, p. 46. 



self 



