431 PECULIAR SOCIAL ECONOMY. 



cation with a people so situated, provided that they 

 adhered to the principles of contentment, and did 

 not allow themselves to be seduced into a desire for 

 foreign luxuries ; an unwise indulgence in which, 

 first leads to molestation from commercial intruders ; 

 who, breaking up the seclusion, open a path to 

 military invasion, which usually ends in the loss 

 of country and of personal freedom. 



We hear of the Gongas in ancient history under 

 various names, but they were principally charac- 

 terized by the cautious manner in which they com- 

 municated with those merchants, with whom nature 

 imperatively commanded them, at least, to have some 

 intercourse to exchange the productions of their 

 country, for what was an absolute necessary of life 

 to them, and of which they had no supply but from 

 abroad ; I need scarcely mention, that this was salt. 

 In return for this, it appears, that gold was prin- 

 cipally given to the traders; and for ages, this 

 commerce was carried on, with no more communi- 

 cation than was necessary, through the medium of 

 the following practice. " This country of Sasu is 

 very rich in gold mines. Every year the King of 

 Axum sends some of his people to this place for 

 gold. These are joined by many other merchants ; 

 so that, altogether, they form a caravan of about 

 five hundred people. They carry with them oxen, 

 salt, and iron. When they arrive upon the 

 frontiers of that country they take up their quarters, 

 and make a large barrier of thorns. In the 



