A. D. 1800. 



5^7 



were to furnilh the capital for this kind of trade, its extent mufl at all 

 times have been moderate : for no idea was ever conceived by the le- 

 giflature or the company of its being carried to an indefinite extent by 

 the tranfmiffion of capital from this country*, whereby, as the number 

 of adventurers, as well as the amount of capital, might be as great as 

 thofe in poflellion of the trade might chufe to admit, all concerned 

 would probably bring themfelves to ruin, as happened to thofe who 

 eagerly rufhed into the trade, when it was laid open, by way of experi- 

 ment, in the year 1655. 



April 4"' — The ifland and fort of Goree, together with the dependent 

 factory of Jool, on the coaft of Africa, furrendered to a fquadron of 

 Britifh fhips under the command of Sir Charles Hamilton. 



April 6"' — The liberal and philanthropic fociety, inflituted for the 

 purpofe of exploring the interior part of Africa, had engaged Mr. 

 Horneman to profecute the plan of difcovery, which the death of Mr. 

 Ledyard had rendered abortive. In the midfl: of a war, from the rav- 

 ages of which not even the eaftern parts of Africa were exempted, Mr. 

 Horneman entered upon his enterprife ; and at Paris, though his mif- 

 fion was from the hoflile kingdom of Great Britain, he was received 

 with the attention due to a man engaging, for the general fervice of 

 mankind, in a hazardous attempt to enlarge the bounds of fcience ; and 

 in Egypt he enjoyed the patronage of General Buonaparte, and the lib- 

 eral communications of the men of fcience attached to his army. With 

 thofe advantages, and the previous acquifition of a knowlege of the 

 Arabian language and Mohamedan religion, he afTumed the charadter 

 of a merchant of the caravan, which annually travels from Cairo to 

 Mourzouk in Fezzan f ; and, departing from the former in September 

 1798, he arrived at the later in November. 



Mr. Horneman's account of the people of Fezzan is lefs favourable 

 than that of former travelers, who have reprefented them as a nation, 

 whofe induflry, particularly in the carrying trade, entitled them to the 

 appellation of the Dutchmen of Africa. He fays, ' they have no energy 

 ' of charadler, no induflry.' Though Mourzouk be from Odlober to 

 January the place of general refort for a number of caravans, the merch- 

 andize fold in it confifts entirely of foreign articles, brought by foreign- 

 ers. The caravan from Cairo is compofed of merchants of Augela, a 

 place about half way between the two countries, who import filks, cali- 



* Mr. Diindas exprefsly fets hlmfelf againd ' juftice or public policy, It woukl be introducing 



fucVi an application of Britifli capital. He fays, ' a rival capital in India agaiiill the remittance 



' The only effeft of giving fuch an indulgence to ' trade of the Eafl-India company, and in com- 



' the merchants refidcnt in this countiy would be ' petition likewife with thofe individuals, whofe 



' a temptation to withdraw a part of the capital ' capitals by the propofed indulgence", it is wifhed 



' of the country from a more profitable trade, and ' to transfer to Great Britain.' 



' more beneficial application of it, in order to f Of this inland commercial country forae ac- 



' divert it to another trade, lefs profitable to them- count has already been given, V. iv, p. 192, from 



' felves, and lefs beneficial to the public. With- the information obtained at fnond hgnd by Mr. 



' out, therefore, one fingk reafon, cither of private Lucas. 



