XX.] 



THE MAKKETS. 



265 



river in every direction, bringing people with pottery, palm-oil, 

 fish, fowls, flour, salt, grass-cloth, slaves, and every thing pro- 

 duced in the country. They were crowded and laden to such 

 an extent as to render the presence of a black Mr. Plimsoll 

 highly advantageous to passengers and cargo ; but as the crew 

 were oftentimes the owners, perhaps they would have objected 

 to his watchful eye. 



August, 

 18V4. 



At the landing-places the canoes were hauled ashore, when 

 the men shouldered the paddles, and sauntered slowly to the 

 market-place, leaving the women to bring up the merchandise. 

 This they carried in large baskets slung on their backs by a strap 

 across the forehead, like the creels of the Scottish fish-wives. 



The men moved about the market-place doing nothing, un- 



M^KKLT-WOMEN, Ij-iANGWE. 



