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An historical disquisition concerning the knowledge which the ancients had of India : and the progress of trade with that country prior to the discovery of the passage to it by the Cape of Good Hope : with an appendix ... / by William Robertson ...
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NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

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Southern coast of Africa, and from all parts of Arabia ,that when the whole are assembled they have been com-puted to amount to two hundred thousand. In someyears the number is farther increased by small bands ofpilgrims from several interior provinces of Africa, thenames and lituations of which are just beginning to beknown in Europe. For this last fact we are indebted tothe Association for promoting the Discovery of the Interior'Parts of Africa, formed by some Issitilh Gentlemen , uponprinciples so liberal, and with views so public-fpirited ,as do honor to themselves and to their country. Proceed-ings, &c. p. 174.

In the Report of the Committee of the Privy Councilon the Slave Trade, other particulars are contained; andit appears that the commerce carried on by caravans inthe interior parts of Africa is not only widely extended,but of considerable value. Besides the great caravan whichproceeds to Cairo , and is joined by Mahomedan pilgrimsfrom every part of Africa, there are caravans which haveno object but commerce, which set out from Fez, Al-giers, Tunis, Tripoli, and other States on the fea-coast,and penetrate far into the interior country. Some ofthem- take no less than fifty days to reach the place oftheir oestjjiation; and, as the medium os’their rate oftravelling v may be estimated at about eighteen miles a day,the extent of their journey may be easily computed. Asboth the time of their out-fet, and their route , areknown, they are met by the people of all the countriesthrough which they travel, who trade with them. Indiangoods of every kind form a considerable article in thistraffic, in exchange for which the chief commodity theycan give is Slaves. Part vi.

As the journeys of the 'caravans, which are purely com-mercial, do not commence at stated seasons, and theirroutes vary according to the convenience or fancy of themerchants of whom they are composed, a description’ cannot be given of them with the same degree of accuracy.But by attending to the accounts of some authors ,^landi

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