title: West African Kingdoms: Empires Of Gold and Trade (Ancient Civilizations)
author: Katherine Reece
description: Gr. 3-5. This quick, attractive photo-essay in the Ancient Civilizations series introduces the great ancient kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai in all their diverse geography, wildlife, peoples, languages, and cultures. Reece focuses strongly on gold trade, education centers, religions, and rulers--from the Berbers who ruled the Kingdom of Ghana in the fourth century to Mohammed Aski, who in 1493 in the kingdom of Songhai embraced Islam. A final chapter looks at the people today. The chatty text is sometimes too exclamatory, and a there's one statement that signals a European perspective: "The area remained undiscovered and wrapped in mystery for centuries because it was difficult to cross such a vast ocean of sand." (Undiscovered by whom? The people who lived there?) But the book is both informative and attractive, the type is clear and readable, and colorful sidebars and photos on every page add interest as well as additional facts. Other new titles in the series include <i>The Egyptians</i> and <i>The Mesopotamians.</i> <i>Hazel Rochman</i><br /><i>Copyright  American Library Association. All rights reserved</i>
zlib_text: ## TO THE GOLD COAST FOR GOLD
  
  _A Personal Narrative_
  
  BY Richard F. Burton AND Verney Lovett Cameron
  
  In Two Volumes—Vol. I.
  
  ### TO OUR EXCELLENT FRIEND
  
  ##### JAMES IRVINE
  
  (OF LIVERPOOL, F.R.G.S, F.S.A, &C.)
  
  ##### WE INSCRIBE THESE PAGES AS A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION
  FOR HIS COURAGE AND ENERGY IN OPENING AND WORKING THE GOLDEN LANDS OF WESTERN
  AFRICA
  
  _'Much have I travelled in the realms of gold'_
  
  ##### SHAKESPEARE
  
  ### PREFACE.
  
  The following extract from 'Wanderings in West Africa,' a book which I wrote
  in 1862 and published (anonymously) in 1863, will best explain the reasons
  which lately sent me to Western Africa:—
  
  In several countries, for instance, Dinkira, Tueful, Wásá (Wassaw), and
  especially Akim, the hill-region lying north of Accra, the people are still
  active in digging gold. The pits, varying from two to three feet in diameter,
  and from twelve to fifty deep (eighty feet is the extreme), are often so near
  the roads that loss of life has been the resu