On the Aggry Beads of Africa. 445 
Nothing was easier than to have removed this cause of doubt 
altogether. If it were not convenient to. have the plate with its 
adjusting screw, &c. rise from a stone, detached from the floor, 
but projecting from the pier to which the upper part of the ap- 
paratus was attached, as exhibited in the neat representation of 
the whole given in the 8d volume of Delambre’s Astronomy 5 
a platform might have been placed on a detached frame, on which 
the observer might kneel or stand, as required, while he performed 
the several operations. M. Biot had such a platform in the tem- 
porary observatory erected for his Repeating Circle; why he 
omitted it with regard to the pendulum apparatus I know not. 
I can now cheerfully leave this general question in the hands 
of the public ; regretting, however, very sincerely that the unge- 
nerous detraction which renders necessary, the latter part of this 
memoir, should haye also compelled me to give it something of a 
personal complexion, by requiring not merely a defence of my 
own operations, but at least my opinion of those of our foreign 
companion in the voyage. In all this, I can conscientiously, af- 
firm that I am not actuated by a love of fame, but by a desire to 
obtain justice. Personal sacrifices 1 did make, with regard to 
the Zetland expedition, solely in order to promote the cause 
of science, and obtain new facts in an interesting department of 
inquiry. But it would be puerile indeed to expect any reputation 
to accrue from the circumstance of having made accurate obser- 
vations with a transit instrument—that is, from having succeed- 
ed in the simplest class of operations in practical astronomy. 
Royal Military Academy, 
June 15th, 1819. Ox.intTHus Grecory. 
LXXII. On the Aggry “Beads of Africa. By T. Epwarp 
Bownicu, £sq.* 
Tue natives invariably declare that the aggry beads are found 
in the Daukara, Akim, Warsaw, Ashanta, and Fantee countries, 
the greater number in the former (first) being the richer in gold: 
they say they are directed to dig for them by a spiral vapour is- 
suing from the ground, and that they rarely lie near the surface ; 
—the finder is said to be sure of a series of good fortune. The 
plain aggry beads are blue, yellow, green, or a dull red; the va- 
riegated consist of every colour and shade. The Fantees prefer 
the plain yellow bead, the Amanaheans the blue and yellow, for 
which they will give double the weight in gold; those of inferior 
beauty frequently fetch a large price from having been worn by 
some royal or eminent character. Dr. Leyden, who writes ‘ the 
* From Mr. Bowdich’s Account of his Mission to Ashantee. 
aigris 
