AN AFRICAN MARKET. 323 



days, but twice a month every eight days, and 

 the number of markets is 300 x 38=11400. 

 The greater number of slaves exposed are Nou- 

 fanchie and Ibbodo. So that eleven thousand 

 poor creatures, at the lowest computation, are 

 exposed for sale annually. The demand is some- 

 times greater than at others, distributed all over 

 the country ; but, as I have before observed, most 

 of them go to the sea-side. 



As the European stranger proceeds through 

 the market, he is struck with the various dresses 

 and features of the traders, and the various pro- 

 duce and articles for sale, evincing industry 

 and, to them, wealth. Hundreds are to be seen 

 counting their bags or cowriers of cowries, con- 

 taining from thirty to sixty thousand. The 

 women are extensive traders, each merchant 

 having five or six of his wives with him at mar- 

 ket, who are busily employed purchasing and 

 selling. 



The various dresses of the natives are not the 

 least striking ; they show the customs of the 

 country people of the different towns between 

 Eboe and Egga, and the various shades of colour 

 in the people are very perceptible. The Eboes 

 have the strongest characteristic features of the 



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