AND ANECDOTES. 321 to the confines of their territory ; they then received a remuneration, and deUvered over the caravan to two men of Abda, who conducted it to the border of Duquella : it was then deUvered into the hands of two Duquella Arabs ; and so it went through the different provinces till it reached Fas, under the protection, through each province, of a stattay each of which statta receives a remuneration. So that, by the time of arrival at Fas, the merchandise was sometimes subject to 'a charge of 8 or 10 per cent, for statta or convoy through the various provinces.

Before the Emperor Soliman thus established his authority, caravans of gums, almonds, ostrich feathers, gold-dust, &c. &;c. from Suse, were sometimes twenty days going from Santa Cruz to Mogodor, a distance of less than one hundred miles, the statta being changed and paid at the entrance of every kabyl, of which there are twelve in the province of Haha alone ; the camels being also changed at every change of statta, increased the charge on the merchandise to an immoderate amount. It would be a great acquisition to England, if His Majesty were to negociate with the Emperor of Marocco for the port of Santa Cruz ; for the province of Suse produces in abundance olive oil, almonds, and gums; worm-seed, an nis-seed, cummin-seed, and orchilla; oranges, grapes, pomegranates, figs, melons, &c. This port was farmed, during the reign of Muley Ismael, for an annual stipend.

It is the key to Sudan, and a communication y