31 6 TRAVELS IN THE 
better than a race of formidable but ignorant heathens. When 
I produced Richardson's Arabic grammar to some Slatees on 
the Gambia, they were astonished to think that any European 
should understand, and write, the sacred language of their re- 
ligion. At first, they suspected that it might have been writ- 
ten by some of the slaves carried from the Coast ; but, on a 
closer examination, they were satisfied that no Bushreen could 
write such beautiful Arabic ; and one of them offered to give 
me an ass, and sixteen bars of goods, if I would part with the 
book. Perhaps, a short and easy introduction to Christianity, 
such as is found in some of the catechisms for children, ele- 
gantly printed in Arabic, and distributed on different parts of 
the Coast, might have a wonderful effect. The expence would 
be but trifling ; curiosity would induce many to read it ; and the 
evident superiority which it would possess over their present 
manuscripts, both in point of elegance and cheapness, might 
at last obtain it a place among the school books of Africa. 
The reflections which I have thus ventured to submit to 
my readers on this important subject, naturally suggested them- 
selves to my mind, on perceiving the encouragement which was 
thus given to learning, (such as it is,) in many parts of Africa. 
I have observed, that the pupils at Kamalia were most of them 
the children of Pagans ; their parents, therefore, could have had 
no predilection for the doctrines of Mahomet. Their aim was 
their children's improvement ; and if a more enlightened system 
had presented itself, it would probably have been preferred. 
The children, too, wanted not a spirit of emulation ; which it is 
the aim of the tutor to encourage. When any one of them has 
