412 Seven Years in the Soudan.

variety of goods. Besides all imaginable articles of food, he has linen, silk, cotton, and stuff Avarehouses, stationery and all kinds of European manufactures. Other sliois are resplendent in ornaments, lamps, and chandeliers. In fact, it is now possible to procure all the articles necessary to a house, even down to locks, chains, nails, and paint and brushes ; everything that Ave could expect to find in the best Milanese shops.

" If exportation be a capital outlet for European industry, the importation of products direct from the Soudan to Europe is not less important. Fifteen months ago Italy was obliged to purchase at Alexandria, Cairo, or Trieste, the gums necessary for lier manufactures ; but thanks to your enterprise, and chiefly to the efforts of the Espluratore, we begin to understand that, till noAv, we did not work for oursehes, but for those nations who knew how to proAde themselves with African products. The firm of Lattuada set the example b}' their first direct commercial expedition, and now the second, directed by Messrs. Medici and Cuzzi, is on the point of starting. When they return to Italy they will be able to giAe good advice as to the establishment of a representatiAe on the spot, for the continual journeys are not only expensive, but often lead to the depreciation of an excellent business, for gums are an article Aery subject to change of price. Besides this, the speculator must neglect many other articles, such as wax, caoutchouc and ivory, which now begin to arriA'e in large quantities from Bahr-le-Ghazal.

" The Italian Commercial Society in Milan could not be more efiiciently represented. Messrs. Micheli and De Mitri are ver} industrious, intelligent, faithful young men, and will shortly prove their actiAdty by sending good and choice gums, and probably other products to Italy.

' Cuzzi is now a Mahdist Governor. — Ed.