MANUFACTURES. 231 



the end of which he fastens to the bobbin, giv- 

 ing it a rotatory motion, and lets it fall, paying 

 out the cotton with great quickness and dexte- 

 rity. This is repeated until the bobbin reaches the 

 ground, when the thread is wound up, and he 

 begins again. I have frequently met slaves car- 

 rying large burthens on their heads, and spinning 

 in this manner as they walked. The thread 

 is rough but strong, the cotton being of very 

 fine staple. The cloth is wove in pieces about 

 twelve feet long, and three broad ; is exceed- 

 ingly durable and heavy : its price is about one 

 thousand cowries per yard if plain, but, if dyed 

 blue, about fifteen hundred. 



They manufacture from native iron, hatchets, 

 chisels, nails and clamps, and have a number of 

 European locks and keys, particularly padlocks. 

 Copper is used in ornamenting and fastening 

 their large calabashes, and in the manufacture 

 of bowls for their tobacco pipes. I tried in vain 

 to get some of the ore, which must be very rich ; 

 but, though they readily made me several pipe- 

 bowls to order, for five hundred cowries each, 

 I never could get them to give me the ore or 

 material of which they are made. The natives 

 all agree, that it came down the Shary from the 



