292 THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION. 
invincible attachment to liberty, like the Tartars ; 
a propensity which can neither be conquered by the 
arts, nor by any modification of government. 
Of the Caravans. — The Mahometans in Africa 
are what the Russians are in Siberia, — a trading, 
enterprising, superstitious set of vagabonds ; wher- 
ever they are determined to go, they go. As they 
cannot afford to traverse Africa without trading 
by the road, they make no voyages merely com- 
mercial or merely religious ; and where they are 
not engaged in commerce, they are not to be found. 
They pass to Sennaar, Darfur, Wangara, and 
Abyssinia, while they know little or nothing of geo- 
graphy, as they are able to sing, dance, and traf- 
fic without it. They trade to Darfur for slaves, 
gum, and elephants' teeth. The slaves of this na- 
tion are of a good form and size, quite black, with 
n 
the true Guinea face, and curled short hair. The 
importation of negro slaves into Egypt, in a year, 
was estimated by M. Rosetti at 20,000. To Sen- 
naar they carry trinkets, soap, antimony, red linen, 
razors, scissors, mirrors, beads ; and bring back 
elephants' teeth, gum Sennaar, camels, ostrich- 
feathers, and slaves. In this traffic the king of 
Sennaar interferes, and not only is concerned in 
the Sennaar caravans, but keeps an agent at Cairo 
to procure and contract for him. Among the Sen- 
naar slaves, Mr Ledyard saw three personable men, 
of a bright olive complexion, and intelligent fea- 
