The eunuchs which the Emperor and princes keep to superintend their respective Horems, are, for the most part, procured from the vicinage of Senaar in Soudan; these creatures have shrill effeminate voices: they are emasculated in a peculiar manner, and sometimes in such a way, as not to be incapacitated from cohabiting with women;[210] they are in general very fat and gross, and from the nature of the charge committed to them, become very confidential servants: indeed their fidelity is surpassed only by their unbounded insolence. I knew one of these creatures, who was chief of the eunuchs superintending the Horem of Muley Abd Salam,[211] at Agadeer, who was one hundred and ten years old; he was then upright, and walked about without a stick. Persons unaccustomed to, or unacquainted with, the mode of living in Africa, may imagine the expense and trouble of conveying the slaves across the Desert, would be more than the advantage derivable from their sale; but it must be recollected that these people are very abstemious, particularly whilst travelling; ten dollars expended in rice in Wangara is sufficient for a year’s consumption for one person; the wearing apparel is alike œconomical, a pair of drawers, and sometimes a vest, forming all the clothing necessary in traversing the Desert. It is not ascertained when the communication between Barbary and Soudan was first opened, yet it is certain, that the enterprising expedition of Muley Arsheede to the latter country[212] tended considerably to encrease and encourage the exchange of commodities, and caused the establishment of the company of Fas merchants, at Fas, as well as that of their factory at Timbuctoo, which has continued to increase and flourish ever since. The circulating medium at Timbuctoo is (tibber) gold dust, which is exchanged for merchandize, thus a plattilia is worth 20 mizans[213] of gold: a piece of Irish linen, of 25 yards, is worth 30 mizans: and loaf sugar is worth 40 mizans of gold per quintal.