GOVERNMENT. 41 own discretion. Mehemed Ali has, further, not yet made an attempt to derive any benefit from the large forests of gum trees in Nubia. They might be a source of great profit to the state, and would prove far more productive than those contemptible and atrocious slave-hunts. He need only employ the tenth part of those troops whose services are required in these abominable excursions as inspectors in collecting the gum, and allow the negroes of Nubia small wages, as is done in Kordofan ; both the state and the people would in this way gain, and the negi'oes would enjoy their liberty; their confidence in the government would be augmented, when they came to understand that they were treated as a free people and not as slaves ; trade, commerce, and agriculture would, by this measure, receive a stimulus and improve ; and every man would with pleasure engage in an undertaking whence a small profit might be expected, because he would not have to tremble for his freedom and his life. The mountains of Nubia might yield from ten to twenty thousand cantari* of gum of the best quality annually; and Mehemed Ali would soon find out, that he could with as much ease obtain two cantari of gum as one slave, and that the acquisition would be attended with less expense.

* The Cantaro is=100 Rotoli, but the rotolo has different weights. The foniier is=150tt) avoirdupois; the latter=6159 grs. English, or, also, to 1 8oz. avoirdupois. Tb.