Trans Saharan Trade Journal

Dear Journal,
Soon, I will be embarking on a trade route from Gao to Cairo.
I will be away from my family for 4 months but when I return will
have lots of Arab items to bring home with me. Gao, my
hometown is a center for trading in Africa. My father was an
African merchant, just like me and did the same journey I am
going to do. I will keep this journal to show my family after the trip
and tell them of my success. This is my first entry in this journal
and will record my travels once every month.
1st day
When I walk out my front door I hear the rushing waters of
the Niger river. My family and I live on the banks of the river for
easy water access. Soon, I will be leaving for Cairo on a trade
journey. I say good bye to my family and ride down the road eager
to get going.
I check my trading bag on the back of my camel, and its all
there; 20 gold coins, 10 lb salt, 10 silver nuggets, 15 lb rice, and
10 rubies. These items are what Arabs look for the most, so I took
the things that I thought would be the easiest to trade.
When I reach the edge, I am greeted by my Arab guide,
without him I would get lost in the desert. We will travel halfway
across the continent to a large oasis trade post. When we get
there, I will log my next journal and will tell about the trip.
2nd month
We have finally gotten to the oasis and I am eager to make
my first trade. During the trip, my guide told me that he was a
Muslim, a religion that originated in the Arabian Peninsula. It
sounds like an interesting religion but I am a true African and
would never switch religion for anything.

My first trade is made with an Arabian man, he seemed to

want to take my rice off my hands, so I gave him half of it for 6 lb
of spices, what a deal. I then traded 7 bottles of perfume for 8
pieces of gold. After that, I traded with an Arab, all of my rubies
for his 15 lemons. Then a nomad tried to trade 3 lb of salt for the
rest of my gold and I said no of course. He got angry, said I was
turning down a deal of a lifetime. Then he left, said he would get
gold other ways. I then kept on trading, at the end of the day, I
had 8 bottles of disinfectant and 1 astrolabe to study the stars.
We decided to stay the night there and leave for Cairo in the
morning.
3rd month
We are halfway to Cairo and have had a fun journey across
the desert. My guide and I talked about the religion of Islam. He
taught me about the Five Pillars of Islam; belief, worship, fasting,
charity, and pilgrimage. He told me that he was traveling to
Mecca on his pilgrimage and will be leaving me after Cairo. Then
out of nowhere, three men appeared with swords in hand. I
recognized one of them the man that had wanted my gold, so this
was his other way . He held the sword to my throat and said
that if I didnt give him all my gold I would pay with my life. I
immediately gave him the last of my gold and he went on his way.
4th month
We are arriving in Cairo and throughout the trip I have
decided to convert to Islam, and take the pilgrimage to Mecca. I
use the rest of my items to buy my family and I prayer rugs, I will
take up the beliefs and traditions of Muslims everywhere. The
religion of Islam has beliefs and practices that will help you later
in life, informe you of how to deal with situations good and bad,
dangerous and peaceful.