1803.] 
The gum of Senegal is a vegetable 
juice concreted, that oozes through the 
clefts in the bark of certain trees, either 
naturally, or by means of incifion, and 
that afterwards grows hard. 
This fubftance is of ufe in a number of 
manufactures ; itis indifpenfable in almoft 
every branch of dying, and of cloth- 
painting ; it is neceflary for the fabrica- 
tion of filk, ribbons, lawns, gauzes, 
cambrics, and hats; it is wanted in me- 
dicinal preparations, and in confectionary ; 
it is employed by painters and gilders, 
and many other artificers; and _ befide 
thefe beneficial ufes, has the valuable ad- 
vantage of being a wholefome and very 
nutritious food. This precious article 
of trade was in former times exported 
only from Arabia, and brought through 
Egypt to Marfeilles. 
When the Europeans firft began to fre- 
quent the coaft of Arguin, Portendick, 
and Senegal, the Moors undoubtedly of- 
fered them gum for fale; but the Arabic 
was then exclufively in vogue ; and it was 
only towards the commencement of the 
feventeenth century, that Gum Senegal 
was made known to Europe by the 
Dutch, 
The French, at laft becoming mafters 
of the navigation of this river, and of the 
anchorage-grounds off Arguin and Por- 
tendick, were foon apprifed, that in the 
fouthern parts of the great defert of 
Zaarha, that lay near Senegal, there were 
in thofe fandy and uncultivated traé&s, 
three confiderable forefts of gum-trees. 
‘They caufed the places where thefe forefts 
were fituated, to be well viewed and ex- 
amined ; the forefts themfelves were duely 
infpected. It was found that theirdiftance 
was fufficiently in the proximity of the 
northern fides of the river, and of the 
anchorage grounds off Arguin and Por- 
tendick, for the convenient tranfportation 
thither of the article that was wanted. 
Gum of courfe was procured, and expe- 
Fiments were made, that fhewed it was 
able to rival the very beft of the Arabic 
Speculations followed, and the French 
brought ‘this new objeét of trade into 
great requeft. 
During the latter half of the laft cen- 
tury, the merchants at Bourdeaux and 
Nantes made comparative trials of the 
gum Sen:gal with others ; by which it 
appeared, that it was fuperior to-all the 
gums of the Haft, even to thofe of Ara- 
‘bia; that it was more mucilaginous and 
gluing ; that in fome arts and trades, and 
in particular operations, no other gum 
could equal it ; that it poffeffed, in hort, 
On the Trade of the Gum of Senegal. 
309 
fo many effential qualities, that no other 
could enter into competition. 
Thefe experiments were made known to 
the public, and procured a fuperior credit 
tothe gum cultivated by the Moors of 
Zaarha, and fold by them to the French 
factories of the Senegal. Thus this gum 
grew into favour; and for thefe thirty 
years has obtaineda general preference. 
Tt'was nearly about this time, that a re- 
finement in tafte and luxury diffuled it- 
felf throughout ali clafies ; manufactures 
of filk, gauzes, lawns, and painted 
linens, were multiplied every where. 
Gum entering into the fabrication of ali 
thefe, the demand for it became very con- 
fiderable, and it is now a commercial ar- 
ticle of much importance. 
Senegal is able to fupply Europe, an- 
nually, with two millions of pounds 
weight of that commodity; the trade of 
which will employ a number of capitals, 
veffels and feamen, for its purchafe and 
tranfpertation to France ; and at the ave- 
rage price of 35 fous the pound, it wili 
produce a fale of 3,500,000 livres, and a 
profit of nearly 3,000,000. 
The tree that produces the gum, isa fpes 
cies of the Acacia, and bears among the 
Moors, and the Negroes in the neighbour- 
hood of the Senegal, the name, of Uerack 
when its gum is white, and of Nebuck 
when it is red. 
Thefe two forts of Acacia gum-trees 
are the moft widely fpread, and have fur- 
prizingly thriver in the white and quicks 
fands that form the foil of the countries 
lying upon the coaft, which extend trom 
Cape Blanco, in Barbary, to Cape Verd, 
and in thofe that lie on the north of the 
Senegal, between Galam and the factory, 
called the Defert. 
Several other fpecies of gum-trees alfe. 
grow there; but the Ucrack and the Ne- 
buch are at once the moit valuable, and 
in the greateft plenty; of them chiefly 
confift three large forefts of gum-trees, 
that go under the names of Sahal, Al- 
farack, and Elhiebar, and are fituated 
towards the fouthern extremity of the 
Zaarha, or great Defert of Barbary, at 
an almoft equal diftance from the Senegal 
and the fea. 
The gum-tree Uerack is alfo widely 
fpread in the neighoourhood of Fort St. 
Louis on the Senegal, and on the fouthern 
banks of that river, as far as Podhor ; it 
is found in the ifles of Sorr and Thiong, 
and in the Wood Ifland. Thefe trees do not 
grow together, but are fcattered here and 
there. 
The gum tree of Senegal is generally 
net 
