Chap. LXX. FOREIGN COMMERCE. — GOLD. 21 
way of St. Louis, or Nd^r, on the Senegal, while 
the dyed shirts from Sansdndi, which, as far as I had 
an opportunity of observing, seem to be made of 
foreign or English calico, and not of native cot- 
ton, do not appear to be exported to a greater dis- 
tance. These shirts are generally distinguished by 
their rich ornament of coloured silk, and look very 
pretty; and I am sorry that I was obliged to give 
away, as, a present a specimen which I intended to 
bring home with me. The people of Timbuktu are 
very experienced in the art of adorning their cloth- 
ing with a fine stitching of silk, but this is done on a 
very small scale, and even these shirts are only used 
at home. There is, however, a very considerable 
degree of industry exercised by the natives of some of 
the neighbouring districts, especially Fermdgha, who 
produce very excellent woollen blankets, and carpets 
of various colours, which form a most extensive article 
of consumption with the natives. 
The foreign commerce has especially three great 
high-roads : that along the river from the south-west 
(for lower down the river there is at present scarcely 
any commerce at all), which comprises the trade 
proceeding from various points ; and two roads from 
the north, that from Morocco on the one hand, and 
that from Ghaddmes on the other. In all this com- 
merce, gold forms the chief staple, although the whole 
amount of the precious metal exported from this 
city appears to be exceedingly small, if compared with 
a European standard. It probably does not exceed an 
c 3 
