profitable than linen. They take no oil from Barbary to
Timbuctoo as they are supplied from other places with fish-oil used
for lamps but not for food; they make soap with the oil. The
returns are made in gold-dust, slaves, ivory, and pepper; gold-dust
is preferred and is brought to Timbuctoo from Housa in small
leather bags. He bought one of these bags of gold-dust and pieces
of rings for 90 Mexican dollars, and sold it at Fas for 150. The
merchants bring their gold from Timbuctoo in the saddle-bags, in
22 small purses of different sizes one within the other. The bag which
Shabeeny purchased was bought at Housa, where it sells for seven or
eight ducats cheaper than at Timbuctoo. On articles from Marocco
they make from thirty to fifty per cent. clear profit. Cowries and
gold-dust are the medium of traffic. The shereefs and other
merchants generally sell their goods to some of the principal
native merchants, and immediately send off the slaves, taking their
gold-dust with them into other countries. The merchants residing at
Timbuctoo have agents or correspondents in other countries; and are
themselves agents in return. Timbuctoo is visited by merchants from
all the neighbouring black countries. Some of its inhabitants are
amazingly rich. The dress of common women has been often worth 1000
dollars. A principal source of their wealth is lending gold-dust
and slaves at high interest to foreign merchants, which is repaid
by goods from Marocco and other countries, to which the gold-dust
and slaves are carried. They commonly trade in the public market,
but often send to the merchant or go to his house. Cowries in the
least damaged are bad coin, and go for less than those that are
perfect. There are no particular market days; the public market for
provisions is an open place fifty feet square, and is surrounded by
shops.[39] The Arabs sit down on their goods in the middle, till
23 they have sold them. The pound weight of Timbuctoo is about two
ounces heavier than the small pound of Barbary, which weighs twenty
Spanish dollars; they have also half and quarter pounds; by these
weights is sold milk, rice, butter, &c. as well as by the measure.
The weights are of wood or iron under the inspection of a
magistrate called in Barbary _m'tasseb, i.e._ inspector of weights