22 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXX. 
average of 20,000Z. sterling per year.* The gold is 
brought either from Bambiik or from Bure, but from 
the former place in a larger quantity. The gold from 
the country of the Wangarawa does not reach this 
market, but, as it seems, at present is directly ex- 
ported to that part of the southern coast which on this 
account is called the Gold Coast. The species of gold 
from Bambiik is of a more yellow colour ; that from 
Biire is rather whitish ; and that from Wan gara has a 
greenish hue. Most of this gold, I think, is brought 
into the town in rings. I do not remember to 
have seen or heard of gold dust, or " tibber,'' being 
brought to market in small leathern bags, such as 
Shabini and other people describe, containing about 
one ounce, equal to twenty-five dollars in value. But, 
nevertheless, a considerable amount of this article 
must come into market, as most of the gold dust 
which comes to Ghadames and Tripoli passes through 
Timbuktu, while another portion goes directly from 
Sansandi to A'rawan.f 
It was evidently in consequence of the influence of 
the Arabs, that the scale of the mithkal J was introduced 
* M. Graberg de Hemso estimates the export of Morocco manu- 
factures to Negroland at one million dollars, and the import to 
Morocco from Nigritia, at from three to four millions. Specchio di 
Morocco, &c., p. 146. 
j" M. Testa^ in his " Notice statistique et commerciale sur la Re- 
gence de Tripoli, 1856," states the import of gold dust into Tripoli 
to be of the value of 240,000 francs. 
J Whether it be true as some maintain (amongst others M. 
Prax, "Commerce de I'Algerie, 1849," p. 13.), that the name 
