ligious; and where they are not engaged in com. merce, they are not to be found. They pass to Sennaar, Darfur, Wangara, and Abyssinia, while they know little or nothing of geography, as they are able to sing, dance, and traffic without it. They trade to Darfur for slaves, gum, and elephant's teeth. The slaves of this nation are of a good form and size, quite black, with the true Guinea face, and curled short hair. The importation of negro slaves into Egypt, in a year, was estimated by M. Rosetti at 20,000. To Sennaar they carry trinkets, soap, antimony, red linen, razors, scissars, mirrors, beads; and bring back elephants teeth, gum, sennaar, camels, ostrich-feathers, and slaves. In this traffic the king of Sennaar interferes, and not only is concerned in the Sennaar caravans, but keeps an agent at Cairo to procure and contract for him. Among the Sennaar slaves Mr. Ledyard saw three personable men, of a bright olive complexion, and intelligent features, whose heads were of a singular structure and uncommon form, exceeding narrow, long, aud protuberant. The Sennaar caravan is the most rich; that of Darfur is not equally so, though it trades with almost the same commodities. This, however, can surprise no one, who considers that there are numerous circumstances which influence the internal African trade, besides the extent of the journey and the nature of the commodities. The desarts of burning and moveable sand which are to be traversed; the pestilential qualities of the suffocating winds that sweep these arid wastes, which look as if the God of nature had forgot to accomplish the work he had begun, the moral habits and social state of the savage tribes that prowl with the wild beasts over the desart, are not only sufficient to deter the adventurous merchant, but even to damp the ardour of religious bigotry.

Wangara, to which the caravans also traded, was represented to Mr. Ledyard as a kingdom producing much gold; but the king seems to have intermeddled in commerce as well as the potentate of Sennaar; for, in order to deceive strangers, and prevent them from guessing at the extent of his riches, he was reported to vary continually the gold used in barter, which it was his province to regulate, and of which he issued at one time a great quantity, and others little or none. A caravan goes from Cairo to Fezzan, which is termed a journey of fifty days; and from Fezzan to Tambuctoo, which is called a journey of ninety days. The caravans travel about twenty miles a day, which makes the distance to Fezzan about 1000 miles; and from Fezzan to Tombuctoo 1800 miles. From Cairo to Sennaar is reckoned 600 miles.

These are the principal observations made by Mr. Ledyard in Egypt: they display the depth and penetration of an understanding formed by action instead of speculative habits, unwarped by fanciful theories and prejudices of birth, accustomed to the living intercourse of men. They must impress every one with deep regret, that he did not live to attempt the arduous enterprise in which he had engaged. The person, who with such scanty funds, could penetrate the frozen regions of Tartary, and subsist among their churlish inhabitants, who could ingratiate himself with the ferocious Moors of Egypt, could hardly have failed of obtaining a kind reception from the gentle and hospitable negro, had no untoward accident intervened. The observations of this accurate observer of man upon the female character, are highly deserving of notice, and do equal credit to the strength of his understanding and the goodness of his heart. "I have always remarked, that women, in all countries, are civil and obliging, tender and humane; that they

are ever inclined to be gay and cheerful, timorous, and modest; and that they do not hesitate, like men, to perform a generous action. Not haughty, not arrogant, not supercilious; they are full of courtesy, and fond of society: more liable in general to err than man, but in general also more vir tuous, and performing more good actions than he. To a woman, whether civilized or savage, I never addressed myself in the language of decency and friendship, without receiving a decent and friendly answer. With man it has often been otherwise. In wandering over the barren plains of inhospitable Denmark, through honest Sweden, and frozen Lapland, rude and churlish Finland, unprincipled Rus sia, and the wide-spread regions of the wandering Tartar; if hungry, dry, cold, wet, or sick, the women have ever been friendly to me, and uniformly so and to add to this virtue, (so worthy the appellation of benevolence), these actions have been performed in so free and so kind a manner, that if I was dry I drank the sweetest draught, and, if hungry, I eat the coarse morsel with a double relish." But though the native benevolence of the female savage might sometimes soften his distress, yet he seems often to have endured the extremities of wretchedness. "I am accustomed to hardships," said he," on the morning of his departure to Africa;" "I have known both hunger and nakedness to the utmost extremity of human suffering: I have known what it is to have food given me as charity to a madman; and I have at times been obliged to shelter myself under the miseries of that character, to avoid a heavier calamity: my distresses have been greater than I have ever owned, or ever will own to any man. Such evils are terrible to bear, but they never yet had power to turn me from my purpose. If I live, I will faithfully perform, in its Vol. 14. No, 55.

utmost extent, my engagement to the society and if I perish in the attempt, my honour will still be safe, for death cancels all bonds.”

ITALIAN METHOD OF RECKONING THE HOURI. (Extracted from a Traveller's Journal.)

A

PRACTICE generally beheld by foreigners in a false point of view, is the method observed by the Italians in counting the hours. It perplexes every new-comer; and, as the greatest part of tra vellers every where chuse to follow their own way, and to adhere to their own rules and customs: so it is natural for them to find it a hardship, if all at once a considerable portion of their actions are entirely dislocated.

The german princes have already introduced into their Italian territories the method of counting the hours that prevails with us. The french dial, as it is called, which to the comfort of foreigners, has long been placed on the Trinita di Monte, will soon point out to travellers, both within and with out side St. Peter's, their customary hours. Our way of reckoning will therefore gradually become more common; though it will continue to meet with great opposition on the part of the populace; and certainly they lose by it a proper national cus tom, an hereditary mode of representation, and an extremely suitable habit.

How often do we hear travellers praising the beautiful country, the happy climate, the clear blue sky, the breathing gales, and the balmy air of Italy; and all this is for the most part true, and not exaggerated. But thence it follows, that all who can pass their time in the open air, chuse to do so, and enjoy in pleasure or in business the genial breath of heaven. How many workmen of various kinds are employed in the streets and high

ways? how many have shops quite open on all sides? how many stand out with articles of trade in the markets, the squares, and in the courts? That with such a way of life, the moment when the sun sets and the night comes on, should be more dis❤ criminate than with us, where it often happens that there is but little daylight the whole day long, is easily seen. The day is actually at an end; all business of a certain kind should likewise be ended, and this point of time, as is fitting it should with a sensible people, has the same mark from one end of the year to the other. It is now night [notte], for the twenty-fourth hour is never used in speech, as in France they say noon [midi], and not twelve o'clock. The bells ring, every one says a short prayer, the servants light up the lamps, bring them into the room, and wish felicissima notte.

From this epocha, which always returns at sunsetting, till the next sun-setting, the time is divided into twenty-four hours; and as every one now by long habit, knows as well when it is day, as in what hour noon and midnight fall: so all kinds of reckonings are presently made, in which the Italians seem to find a pleasure and a sort of amusement. There is a natural conveniency in this way of counting the hours, in all affairs that have the smallest reference to day and night; and one easily perceives how time came to be thus divided by a large and sensible body of people.

Thus, we find all workshops, schools, public offices, banks, open at all seasons of the year, till night; and every person may transact his affairs till then. Has he leisure time upon his hands, he may continue his promenades till sun-set, then repair to certain circles, and concert with them the amusements of the succeeding day. From half past one till two in the night, all flock to the theatres, And thus a man seems to live, from the first day