On the Gold of the Coast of Guinea. 305 



never carries any thing on his back. They wade into the river 

 up to the middle, and then dexterously dipping in their bags, they 

 wash and shake its contents, so as to make the gold fall to the 

 bottom : they then pour off the sand and earth, and the gold- 

 dust remains. 



As to the gold-finders on the banks of rivers and the sea-shore, 

 they are less fortunate in their researches, and it is generally 

 women who are thus employed. They conduct themselves pre- 

 cisely like the mountaineers, who in their turn are more fortunate 

 than those on the sea-shore : the latter collect in bags the sand 

 thrown up by a tempest, and act precisely like the former by wash- 

 ing, &c. In general the price of gold is fixed in Africa, and never 

 fluctuates: in Europe it is supposed to yield 25 per cent, profit. 



But it is not so considerable now as it has been; for several 

 African princes more powerful than others, and anxious to secure 

 a monopoly, have compelled the weaker to renoxmce all searching 

 for gold. Thus the sovereign of Akim, who has been conquered 

 by the king of Assianti, dares not any longer work his rich 

 mines: they used to furnish upwards of" SO ounces of gold per 

 week to the coast, i.e. nearly 5000 ounces of gold per annum. 



From what has been said, it is not to be wondered that the 

 English have attached much importance to exploring the in- 

 terior of Africa ; and without admitting all the reports on the 

 subject to be true, it cannot be doubted that the precious metal 

 is very abundant, and that the mines may still be considered as 

 virgin mines, never having been visited by Europeans. 



In the year 1800 a Society was formed in France for ex- 

 ploring Africa, and it soon consisted of 300 persons : but it re- 

 ceived no encouragement from the Government, and fell to 

 pieces. For my part, I had quitted it previously, on being ap- 

 pointed mineralogist to the voyage round the world under Capt. 

 Baudin. 



Certainly, if France will consent to abandon for ever the 

 odious slave trade, our august sovereign will have it in his power 

 not only to promote greatly the welfare of his own country, but 

 the peace and tranquillity of Africa. There exists no country 

 in the world so susceptible of general cultivation: we know that 

 certain districts in Africa are fertile in corn, and grain of everv 

 kind grows there intermixed with sugar canes lately introduced 

 and which protect the grain from hail. The plants of India' 

 Europe, America and Australasia, or the fifth portion of the 

 globe, will flourish there in perpetual spring, and the animals of 

 all climates can be easily naturalized. The Negroes, whose re- 

 spect for the Whites is extreme, notwithstanding what they have 

 suffered from them, will cheerfully give up their fields to be culti- 

 vated by us. Hands, servants, and even slaves will not be wantiuL'- • 

 Vol. 4G. No. 210. Oct. 1815. U and 



