Chap. XLIX. ARTICLES OF COMMERCE. 
385 
in general is estimated by slaves ; and the value of the 
latter is very low in this country, as may be inferred 
from what I have said above respecting the small 
sum paid for them in the countries towards the south : 
but slaves exported from here are not esteemed, as 
they are said to be more subject to disease than those 
from other countries, and generally die in a very short 
time. Female slaves certainly, natives of the country 
of Bagfrmi, are highly esteemed ; but as almost all 
the inhabitants of the country, at least outwardly, pro- 
fess Islam, very few are at present sold into slavery, 
while formerly they were scattered all over the north 
of Africa, in consequence of the great slave- hunting- 
expeditions of the Basha of Fezzan. The Shiiwa 
or Shiwa generally effect their purchases with cows. 
Although my means when I undertook this journey 
were extremely small, nevertheless I had not thought 
it impossible that I might succeed in penetrating into 
Waday, or even in reaching the lands of the Nile ; 
and I often indulged in the pleasure of counting over 
my small stock of goods, and conceived the idea 
how, by giving away everything I possessed, I might 
accomplish such an enterprise ; but I soon found that 
I was compelled to give up all such plans, and 
although I think that a traveller with sufficient means, 
and a great deal of patience and endurance, might 
succeed in entering W aday from this side, I am sure 
that the ruler of that country would certainly keep 
him back for a whole year. I therefore only aspired 
at visiting some places in the neighbourhood ; and I 
VOL. III. c c 
