432 A. D.I 797- 



Moft of the edible roots of the Weft-Indies are found in Africa, and 

 alfo indigo, cotton, and tobacco. The great abundance of (hea toulou 

 Crree butter) near Sego is aftonifhing. It keeps better during a whole 

 year without fait, and is firmer and of a richer flavour, than any but- 

 ter made of cow's milk. The growth and preparation of it are great 

 objeds of the induftry of the people ; and it makes a principal article 

 of their inland trade. The Negroes malt their corn and make beer, 

 which Mr. Park thought equal to the beft he ever drank in Great Britain. 

 He faw no fugar-canes, coffee, cacao trees, nor pine apples. 



Mr. Park's obfervations ftrongly confirm the accounts of preceding 

 travelers, that the Negroes of the interior country are much more ad- 

 vanced in the arts of life, and in all refpeds more civilized, than thofe 

 upon the coaft, whofe character is vitiated by the nature of their inter- 

 courfe with the Europeans. He defcribes them as a gentle inoffenfive 

 race, entertaining a high refped, or rather veneration, for white people. 

 He everywhere met with the kindeft treatment from them ; and, in his 

 greateft diftrefl^es, the women were particularly favourable to him, ap- 

 parently without any luftful motive *. On the contrary, he was plunder- 

 ed, and loaded with infults and injuries by thofe Moors, through whofe 

 country he was unfortunately obliged to pafs. 



At the fame time that Mr. Park was penetrating into the heart of 

 Africa from the weft coaft, Mr. Browne, another Britifti traveler, had 

 puflied his refearch from the eaft as far as Dar-Fur, a potent kingdom 

 in the heart of that continent, the very exiftence of which was fcarce- 

 ly known to Europeans, till he made us acquainted with its fituation 

 and inhabitants. He traveled from Egypt in company with a caravan 

 of merchants, whofe aflTortment of goods confifted of tin in fmall bars ; 

 variety of beads ; rings of filver and brafs for the ancles and wrifts ; 

 cotton goods of Egyptian and Indian manufafture ; German fword 

 blades ; fire arms ; fmall looking-glafl^es; coffee j copper ; copper utenfils; 

 Tunifian red caps ; light French woolen cloths ; filk goods; fhoes ; paper ; 

 foap ; and pepper. From the interior country they carry to Egypt 

 flaves ; gold duft ; ivory ; rinoceros's horns ; oftrich feathers ; gums ; 

 drugs ; pimento ; and a fmall quantity of white copper. 



Mr. Browne during his refidence in Egypt collefted a good account 

 of the trade and manufactures of that country, which, on account of 

 its renown in the earlieft dawn of hiftory, and its commercial import- 

 ance in after ages as the enterpot and link of connedion between the 

 eaftern and weftern parts of the world (to fay nothing of the intereft 

 excited by the renewed importance now attached to it) may feem en- 

 titled to fome attention, even in its degraded ftate. 



* ' The hofpitality fhewn by thefe good people under the direcflioii of the afTociation, gave the 



'to Mr. Park, a detlitute and forlorn ftranger, fame teftimony to tlie pre-eminent benevolence an J 



' raifes them very high in the fcale of humanity.' fympathizing kindnefs of the fex, created by the 



\_Renntl's Geigraphual illujlration of Park's jour- bountiful Father of the univerfe to heighten the 



nn.^ Mr. Lediard, the firft traveler in Africa enjoyments, and alleviate the miferies, of man. 



