CHAP, xxvii. AFRICA. 



others were measured by it. Thus a slave, a piece 

 of cloth, or an India baft, was reckoned worth a 

 given number of bars ; and even iron itself was, 

 and still is, measured by these imaginary bars. 

 As gold is thus rendered a mere commodity and 

 of less value than it would represent if it per- 

 formed also the function ofmoney r it will generally 

 and profitably find its way to other countries, 

 where, from being both a commodity and a mea- 

 sure of all others, it acquires a greater worth when 

 exchanged for other objects. 



We are therefore disposed to estimate at a very 

 low rate the whole produce of gold from Africa, 

 and as no silver is known to be extracted from 

 that part of the world, in our estimate of the pro- 

 duction and consumption of the world at large we 

 have not thought it necessary to take notice of 

 either the western or eastern shores of that quarter 

 of the world. 



The eastern coast of Africa, where the For- Eastern 



11 * IP Africa. 



tuguese still retain some settlements for carrying 

 on the slave trade, may be passed over with a 

 slight notice. According to some of the authors 

 of the sixteenth century, Melinda, Sofala, Mozam- 

 bique, and other spots on that side of Africa, 

 afforded large portions of gold, but their ac- 

 countsmust be received with great hesitation. 

 The latest traveller, Mr. Salt, who visited those 

 places in 1809, represents their present supply of 

 gold as very insignificant, and has removed much 



