INTERCOURSE WITH AFRICA. 26S on the western coast, in an independent district, where our alliance would be courted, from which the Kafila or Akkaba would have to pass through only one tribe with perfect safety, and subject to no impost whatever ; neither would they be subject to any duty on entering the town of Timbuctoo, as they would enter at the Beif Sahara, or gate of the Desert, which ejempts them from duty or impost.

That civilisation would be the result of commerce, and that the trade in slaves would decrease with the increase of our commerce with these people, there can be little doubt ; and, independent of the advantages of an extensive commerce, the consolation would be great to the Christian and to the Philosopher, of having converted millions of brethren made in the perfection of God's image, and endowed with reason, from barbarism to civilisation, if not to Christianity ! !

!

Let us hope, then, that some of the intelligent readers of your luminous and interesting pages will direct their attention to this great national object, and produce an eligible and welldigested plan for the cultivation of a mutual intercourse through the medium ofcommerce with Africa, and for the civilisation of that hitherto neglected continent, Vasco de Gama.

Eton, 28th Mat/, 1819.

' Caravan.

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