Use of Cowry-shells for Currency, Aimulets, etc. 149 
articles as they obtain in this way, and do not themselves 
need, they trade away to the south and east. On another 
page (p. 553) of the same volume, he gives an illustration 
(after Serpa Pinto) of Kimbande-Ganguellas with cowry- 
ornament. It is of interest to note that the shells (C.szoneta 
or annulus), are employed by the women and girls as a 
decoration in connection with their curious method of 
hair-dressing ; the man shown in the illustration has no 
such ornament. According to the observation of Waitz, 
cowries were usual as ornament among Hottentots and 
Kaffirs.” Unfortunately no indication is given as to 
whether these were the small white money cowries, or 
some other. From Ratzel’s figure (ii, p. 268) of a 
Bushman amulet, consisting of large cowries attached to 
a sort of belt, it would appear that cowries other than 
those so universally employed for currency are used also 
in the south. It is impossible to define the species from 
the illustration, but it appears to be a large spotted one, 
probably C. égvzs, whose nearest habitat is off the East 
African coast, in the neighbourhood of Zanzibar. 
Returning north, to the French Congo, we find that, 
90 
according to Foret” the races on the Tem and on the 
Ivindo use cowries as ornaments. Lenz, in 1876, found 
them so employed in the hinterland of Gaboon. Kund 
also reports cowry-ornaments for the neck among the 
Bateke, not far from Leopoldville. Dennett*’ figures a 
Bavili “ guardian fetish,’ called Mpembe, consisting of a 
wooden image in the shape of a man, the eyes of which 
are cowry-shells with the apertures outwards. Latzel 
S® Schneider, of. czt,, p. 172: According to Peringuey (Anz. S. Afr. 
AMus., Vill, 1911, p. 104), Sparrman mentions and figures Hottentot orna- 
ments of marine shells (Vertta albicil/a 2?) and a leather head-dress adorned 
with three spaced rows of ‘* cowries.” 
°° Le Mouvement Géographique, 1902, No. 9 ( fide Schneider). 
91 R.E. Dennett, ‘‘ At the Back of the Black Man’s Mind,” London, 
1906, p. 91, pl. 5. 
