THE ARABS. 
37 
brated people, their commercial habits, their zeal 
in the pursuit of geographical science, all impelled 
them to direct their steps into the yet unknown 
regions of interior Africa. The desert, that bar- 
rier which deterred all former approach, appeared 
far less formidable to an Arabian explorer. It 
recalled to him the image of his native country, 
where he had long been familiar with every expe- 
dient, by which such an expanse could be tra- 
versed in safety. The camel, transported into a 
congenial soil, afforded the means, not only of 
effecting a passage once for the purpose of disco- 
very, but of establishing a regular and constant 
communication across it. The first route appears 
to have been from Fezzan, by way of Agades, be- 
ing the one still followed by the Cassina caravan. 
The passage is less difficult at this than at any 
other point ; the immense breadth of the desert 
being broken by the large oases of Fezzan and 
Agades, and by several others of lesser magnitude. 
After passing it, they found a shore, whose ferti- 
lity and beauty were probably much heightened 
in their view by the length of the dreary approach 
to it. But the eyes of this commercial people 
were peculiarly attracted by a commodity, which, 
precious in itself, has always been much overrated 
in the opinion of mankind. From the regions im- 
mediately to the south was brought in abundance 
gold^ not disguised irt chemical combinations. 
