sufficient minuteness, the nature and extent of the commercial connection
which at present prevails, and has long subsisted, between the Negro
natives of those parts of Africa which I visited, and the nations of
Europe; and it appears that slaves, gold, and ivory, together with the
few articles enumerated in the beginning of my work, viz. bees-wax and
honey, hides, gums, and dye woods, constitute the whole catalogue of
exportable commodities. Other productions, however, have been
incidentally noticed as the growth of Africa; such as grain of different
kinds, tobacco, indigo, cotton-wool, and perhaps a few others; but all of
these (which can only be obtained by cultivation and labour) the natives
raise sufficient only for their own immediate expenditure; nor, under the
present system of their laws, manners, trade, and government, can any
thing farther be expected from them. It cannot, however, admit of a
doubt, that all the rich and valuable productions, both of the East and
West Indies, might easily be naturalized, and brought to the utmost
perfection, in the tropical parts of this immense continent. Nothing is
wanting to this end but example, to enlighten the minds of the natives;
and instruction, to enable them to direct their industry to proper
objects. It was not possible for me to behold the wonderful fertility of
the soil, the vast herds of cattle, proper both for labour and food, and
a variety of other circumstances favourable to colonization and
agriculture; and reflect, withal, on the means which presented themselves
of a vast inland navigation, without lamenting that a country, so
abundantly gifted and favoured by nature, should remain in its present
savage and neglected state. Much more did I lament, that a people of
manners and disposition so gentle and benevolent, should either be left,
as they now are, immersed in the gross and uncomfortable blindness of
pagan superstition, or permitted to become converts to a system of
bigotry and fanaticism, which, without enlightening the mind, often
debases the heart. On this subject many observations might be made; but