34 TRADE WITH MOGADORE. 



the existence of commercial intercourse between the 

 various tribes in the interior, and the inhabitants 

 of the coast at Mogadore on the north-west coast of 

 Africa, and Mombas on the south-east. In the year 

 1830, certain English goods were recognized in the 

 hands of the Moors at Mogadore which had been 

 sold two years previously to the natives at Mombas. 

 The great extent of territory passed over within 

 these dates, renders this fact somewhat extraordi- 

 nary ; and it affords a reason for regretting that we 

 did not keep possession of Mombas, which would 

 'ere this have enabled us to penetrate into the inte- 

 rior of Africa : we abandoned it, at the very time 

 when the tribes in the interior were beginning to 

 find out the value of our manufactures, especially 

 calicoes and cottons. 



From the best information that Lieutenant Emery 

 had obtained among the natives, it seems certain that 

 a very large lake exists in the interior, — its banks 

 thickly studded with buildings, and lying nearly due 

 west from Mombas. 



It was Lieutenant Emery's intention to have visited 

 this lake had he remained longer at Mombas ; the 

 Sultan's son was to have accompanied him, an advan- 

 tage which, coupled with his own knowledge of the 

 country and its customs, together with his great 

 popularity among the natives, must have ensured 

 him success. It is to be feared, that so favourable an 

 opportunity for clearing up the doubts and darkness 



