TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
55 
of Morocco and other countries who travel to the Soudan, 
remain six or eight months at Timbuctoo to sell their goods, 
and get their camels re-laden. 
The cakes of salt are tied together with cords, made of 
a sort of grass which grows in the neighbourhood of Tandaye. 
This grass is dry when gathered ; but it is afterwards moist- 
ened, and then buried under ground to keep it from the 
sun and the east wind, which would dry it too rapidly. 
When sufficiently impregnated with moisture, it is taken 
out of the earth and platted into cord, which the Moors use 
for various purposes. The camels frequently throw their 
loads off their backs, and when the cakes of salt arrive in 
the town they are frequently broken. This would spoil 
their sale, if the merchants did not take the precaution of 
making the slaves join them together again. When the 
pieces are fastened together, the cakes are packed up again 
with a stronger kind of cord made of bull's hide. The cakes 
are ornamented with little designs, such as stripes, lozenges, 
&c., traced in black. The slaves are very fond of executing 
these ornaments, an employment which enables them to collect 
a little supply of salt for their own use. In general, the slaves 
are better treated at Timbuctoo than in other countries. 
They are well clothed and fed, and seldom beaten. They 
are required to observe religious duties, which they do very 
punctually ; but they are nevertheless regarded as merchan- 
dise, and are exported to Tripoli, Morocco, and other parts 
of the coast, where they are not so happy as at Timbuctoo. 
They always leave that place with regret, though they are 
ignorant of the fate that awaits them elsewhere. 
At the time of my departure, I saw several slaves affec- 
tionately bidding each other adieu. The conformity of their 
melancholy condition excites among them a feeling of sym- 
pathy and mutual interest. At parting, they recommended 
good behaviour to each other; but the Moors frequently 
hurry their departure, and interrupt these affecting scenes, 
