is occupied by a trading race of Arabs and Shelluhs, who
have inter-married, called _Ait Bamaran_. These people are very
anxious to have a port opened in their country, and some sheiks
among them have assured me, that there is a peninsula on their
coast conveniently situated for a port. _This circumstance is well
deserving the attention of the maritime and commercial nations of
the world._]

[Footnote h: The youngest son of the Emperor Muley Ismael conducted
the expedition here alluded to, about the year of Christ 1727. For
an account of which see the Appendix, page 523.]

He considers himself now as settled at Tetuan, where he has a wife and
children. He left it about twelve months ago, with three friends, to go
to Hamburg (as before mentioned.) They were confined forty-seven days at
Ostend, were taken the second day of their voyage; the English captain
put them ashore at Dover against their inclination, and proceeded to
Gibraltar with their goods: this was in December, 1789.

THE CONTINENT.

The continent of Africa, the discovery of which has baffled the
enterprise of Europe, (unlike every other part of the habitable world,)
still remains, as it were, a sealed book, at least, if the book has been
opened, we have scarcely got beyond the title-page.

Great merit is due to the enterprise of travellers. The good intention
of the African Association, in promoting scientific researches in this
continent, cannot (by the liberal) be doubted. But something more than
this is necessary to embark _successfully_ in this gigantic undertaking.
I never thought that the system of solitary travellers would produce any
beneficial result. The plan of the expedition of Major Peddie and
Captain Tuckie was still more objectionable than the solitary plan, and
I have reason to think, that no man possessing any personal knowledge of
Africa, ever entertained hopes of the success of those expeditions.
Twenty years ago I declared it as MY decided opinion, that the only way
to obtain a knowledge of this interesting continent, is through the
medium of commercial intercourse. The more our experience of the
successive failure of our African expeditions advances, the more
strongly am I confirmed in this opinion. If we are to succeed in this
great enterprise, we must step out of the beaten path--the road of
error, that leads to disappointment--the road that has been so fatal to
all our ill-concerted ent