no VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
When the Negroes first began to trade with Europeans, the 
article on which they set most value was iron ; because it served 
them to make agricultural and warlike instruments. Hence iron 
soon became the commodity from which they appreciated all 
other articles. Thus a certain quantity of merchandize of any 
other kind was estimated to be worth so many bars of iron, 
which gave rise to the commercial expression of a bar of mer- 
chandize: for example, twenty plants of tobacco were consi- 
dered as a bar of tobacco ; and a gallon was called a bar of brandy ; 
while a bar of any merchandize whatever was considered equal 
in value to a bar of any other kind. 
The bar therefore is an ideal sort of money; but it necessa- 
rily happened that the abundance or scarcity of merchandize 
was in preportion to the number of foreign ships which ar- 
rived; and hence as their relative value was in continual fluc- 
tuation, it was necessary to be more decisive. At present the 
Whites value a bar of any sort of merchandize at four livres 
sixteen sous (about 3s. lOd. sterling); thus a slave who is valued 
at 100 bars, costs 490 livres Tournois. 
In exchanges of this nature, the White merchant has a gre^t 
advantage over the Negro : for the bar which he gives at the 
value abovementioned, seldom costs him more than half that 
price. The African who suspects this, is very difficult to satisfy, 
and is petulant and tiresome, on account of his ignorance. 
Isle St. Louis is the general rendezvous for the trade of the 
Senegal; and the average number of slaves sent there is about 
12 or 1500 per annum; though it is asserted to have formerly 
amounted to 3000. The price of slaves has varied at different 
periods,- on account of the competition and jealousy of different 
European traders. The Negroes of the Senegal are preferred to all 
the Blacks of the African coast, as their race is handsomer than 
the others. But it has been found that they are more fit for do- 
mestic services, and for the arts and trades, than for working in 
the fields, a labour too severe for their constitution. 
They value at, n piece of India, a Negro from 15 to 9,5 years 
old, who is vigorous, well formed, and has no defect. Three 
Negro boys or girls, well made and about 10 or 12 years old, 
are worth two pieces of India ; and two children, between 5 and 
10, are given and received for one piece. 
A pound of ivory generally sells on the spot for 1 livre l6 
sous; and a drachm of gold, for 10 livres: these articles are 
paid for in merchandize, according to the value of the bars. 
Ostrich feathers have no determinate price, but are sometimes 
given as presents, and at others sold to a good account. 
When speaking of the Moors, I shall give a description of th,e 
gum trade, which they exclusively carry on. 
