IVORY — COWRIES. 277 



named on the coast " white bast :" it is much in- 

 ferior to the description of calico used in hospi- 

 tals and dispensaries for bandages. There appears 

 a great demand for red cloth and red beads. 

 Nearly all the yellow cloth that I brought up 

 with me, and which Mr. Lander and I despaired 

 of disposing of, was expended. I have likewise 

 sold powder, guns, and other articles, which 

 were refused when we were up the river before. 



It is not surprising that the traders should take 

 away their ivory, as I am informed there never 

 was such a stock of cowries seen at Eboe market. 

 These little shells, which form the current coin of 

 this country, are brought by vessels to the coast 

 near to Popo ; they are never rejected by these 

 people, and one of their ways of preserving 

 them is by burying them in the ground in bags 

 containing twenty, thirty, and fifty thousand 

 each. Notwithstanding the exorbitant demands 

 of the traders, I have been enabled to get this 

 article at about eleven-pence and one shilling 

 per pound. Allowances must be made for the 

 disadvantageous nature of the goods, the opposi- 

 tion of the Eboe traders with the cowries, and 

 the want of the most essential articles of trade. 



Yesterday there was a procession of the wives 



