288 COMMERCE.

themselves to this undertaking, without any pretensions to a share in the profits, if they were only treated to a few bottles of wine or good brandy ; many honourable men are, moreover, to be met with among the Turks, to whom the business might fearlessly be intrusted. There would be no difficulty in entering into Darfour or in reaching Kobbe, which is not the capital, but merely the chief commercial town in the kingdom ; nor would it be impracticable to obtain ivory by purchase or barter there, or, indeed, at El-Fasher, the capital, where large stores are kept; but no one could answer for his return as long as Sultan Mohammed Fadels is on the throne. Should the government ever devolve upon his brother, Abumedina, Europeans would then have free ingress and egress to the country, for he is favourably disposed towards the Franks, and would willingly serve them. For this assertion I can vouch, as I received the most unequivocal proofs of the kindness of his disposition, at a time when my life was at stake. The further expenses contingent upon this undertaking would be as follows : Piasters. To freight of one camel-load of three to three and a half cantarl of one hundred rottoli, from Lobeid to Debba on the Nile . 60 To boat-hire thence to New Dongola for one boat 30—60 To freight from New Dongola, across the desert to Wady Chalfa . . . 30—50 Day's journey.

16 4—6 14-16