better than a race of formidable but ignorant heathens. When I produced Richardson’s Arabic grammar to some Slatees on the Gambia, they were astonished to think that any European should understand, and write, : the sacred language of their religion. At first, they suspected that it might have been written by some of. the slaves carried from the Coast ; but, on a closer examination, they, were satisfied that no Bushrèen could "write such beautiful Arabic.;, and one of them offered to give toe an ass, and sixteen bars of goods, if I would part with the book. Perhaps, a short and éasy introduction to Christianity, such as is • found in some o f the catechisms for children, elegantly printed in ArabiG, and distributed on . different parts of the Coast; might have a wonderful effect. The expence would be but trifling ; curiosity would induce many to read it ; and the -evident superiority which it ■ would possess, over their present manuscripts, both ¡n point of élégance and cheapness, might at last obtain it a place among the school books of Africa. The reflections which I have thus ventured to submit' to my readers on this important subject, naturally suggested them- selvès to my mind, on perceiving the encouragement which ;was thus given to learning, (such as it is,) in many'parts of Africa. I have observed, that the pupils at Karaalia were most of them the children of Pagans ; their parents, therefore, could have had no predilection for the doctrines of Mahomet. Their aim was their children's improvement ; and if a more enlightened system had presented itself, it would probably have been preferred. Thé children, too, wanted not a spirit ofemulation ; which it is the aim o f the tutor to encourage. When any one of them has read through the Koran, and performed a certain number of public prayers, a feast is prepared by the schoolmaster, and the scholar undergoes an examination, or (in European terms,) takes out his degree. 1 attended at three different inaugurations of this sort, and heard with pleasure the distinct and intelligent answers which the scholars frequently gave to the Bush-; reens, who assembled on those occasions, and acted as examiners. When the Bushreens had satisfied themselves respecting the learning and abilities of the scholar, the last page of the Koran was put into his hand, and he was desired to read it aloud : after the boy had finished this lesson, he pressed the paper against his forehead, and pronounced the word Amen ; upon which all the Bushreens rose, and shaking him cordially by the hand, bestowed upon him the title of Bushreen. When a scholar has undergone this examination, his parents are informed that he has completed his education, and that it is incumbent on them to redeem their son, by giving to the schoolmaster a slave, or the price of a slave, in exchange ; which is always done, if the parents can afford to do i t ; if not, the boy remains the domestic slave of the schoolmaster until he can, by his own industry, collect goods sufficient to ransome himself. , About a week after the departure of Karfa, three Moors arrived at Kamalia with , a considerable quantity of salt, and other merchandize, which they had obtained on credit, from a merchant of Fezzan, who had lately arrived at Kancaba. Their em- gagement was to pay him his price when the goods were sold, which they expected would be in the course of a month. Being
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