296 COMMERCE.

objects from Araby and India to Lobeid and Bara. Commerce is carried on in a very dilatory manner, and the return of profits is attended with a consideiable loss of time. In the month of Ramadan, the great Turkish fast, the most home-business is transacted. During the rainy season all communication with other countries is cut off, and it is a rare occurrence if a small caravan ever arrive during that period, for every merchant is justly under the apprehension of a loss, by the damage his goods might sustain from the heavy showers ; and the streams are, moreover, so overflowing that frequently many days transpire before a caravan can cross them. The immense journey of three or four months duration, and the freightage by camel and boat, render the price of all imported articles very high in Kordofan. This outlay would, however, be but of slight importance in a commercial point of view, were it not for the exorbitant duty, which so materially augments the price of the goods ; such absurdity and despotism could, in fact, only exist under the government of Mehemed Ali ; even if his realms were to extend to the assumed range of mountains of the moon, the merchandize would have to pay customs in each province it might pass through before reaching the place of its destination.

All goods on their arrival at Alexandria are subjected to a moderate import duty, which, however, only franks them to Cairo. The same goods shipped in Old Cairo to be conveyed up the Nile must