The Great Object Of Those Caravans Is
To Distribute The Productions Of China And Hindustan Among The Central
Parts Of Asia.
In order to supply them, caravans set out from Baghar,
Samarcand, Thibet, and several other places.
The most extensive commerce,
however, carried on in this part of Asia, is that between Russia and China.
We have already alluded to this commerce, and shall only add, that the
distance between the capitals of those kingdoms is 6378 miles, upwards of
four hundred miles of which is an uninhabited desert; yet caravans go
regularly this immense distance. The Russians and Chinese meet on the
frontiers; where the furs, linen and woollen cloth, leather, glass, &c. of
Russia, are exchanged for the tea, porcelain, cotton, rice, &c. of China.
This intercourse is very ancient. There are also caravans of independent
Tartars, which arrive on the Jaik and Oui, and bring Chinese and Indian
commodities, which they interchange for those of Russia.
Tombuctoo is the great depot of central Africa: with it the maritime states
of Egypt, Tripoli, Algiers, Tunis, and Morocco carry on a very extensive
and lucrative trade by means of caravans. They take 129 days in travelling
to Tombuctoo from the borders of the desert, but only fifty-four are spent
in actual travelling. There is also another caravan which sets off from
Wedinou, and after collecting salt at West Tagossa, proceeds to Tombuctoo.
This goes as far as the White Mountains, near Cape Blanco, and is occupied
five or six months in its journey.
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