Travels in the interior districts of Africa: performed under the direction and patronage of the African Association, in the years 1795, 1796 and 1797 / by Mungo Park, surgeon ; with an appendix, containing geographical illustrations of Africa / by Major Rennell.

  • Park, Mungo, 1771-1806.
Date:
1799
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels in the interior districts of Africa: performed under the direction and patronage of the African Association, in the years 1795, 1796 and 1797 / by Mungo Park, surgeon ; with an appendix, containing geographical illustrations of Africa / by Major Rennell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    Degombah, another country, said to be very productive in gold,* must, by its situation, lie directly opposite to the Gold Coast: for it lies immediately to the east of Kong (the Gonjah of Mr. Beaufoy, and the Conche of X>’An- vil!e).+ The people of Fezzan trade to Kong. The triangular hilly tract above commemorated, (p. xix.) which projects northward from the highest part of the belt, and contains Manding, Bambouk, &c. is also abundant in gold; particularly in the quarter towards Bambouk, where it is found in mines; and that chiefly in the middle level/]; (See also, p. xix.) Wangara appears to have been, in its time, nearly as rich as Manding in- this metal. The Arabs name it Belad al Tebr, or the country of gold. § Edrisi, Ibn al Wardi, and Leo, bear testimony to its riches. They say that the gold is found in the sands, after the periodical inundation of the Niger the Gold Coast; others, that the gold is rolled down by the rivers to that neighbourhood. Both may be true. It is difficult to conceive any other adequate cause, than the exchange of the gold of the inland countries, for the introduction of so vast a quantity of kowry shells, which are carried from Europe to the Coast of Guinea, and pass for small money in the countries along the Niger, from Bambara to Kassina, both inclusive. I am informed from authority, that about 100 tons of kowries are annually shipped from England alone, to Guinea. These are originally imported from the Maidive islands into Bengal; and from Bengal into England. In Bengal, 2400, more or less, are equal to a shilling: and yet notwithstanding the incredible smallness of the denomination, some article in the market may be purchased for a single kowry. But in the inland parts of Africa, they are about ten times as dear; varying from 220 to 280. Mr. Beaufoy was told that in Kassina, they were at the rate of about 250 : and Mr. Park reports, that they are about the same price at Sego : but cheaper at Tombuctoo, which is about the centre of the kowry country ; dearer towards Manding, which is the western extremity of it. Hence they are probably carried in the first instance to Tombuctoo, the gold market: and thence distributed to the east and west. Their circulation seems to be confined between Bornou and Manding. In Bournou they have a coinage of base metal. * African Assoc. p. 176 : O. p. 264. f Mr. Park says that Kong signifies mountain, in the Mandinga language ; which lan- gurge is in use from the frontier of Bambara, to the western sea. J Labat, Vol. iv. ch. 2. § Bakui, and Herbelot; article Vankara.