43 
to remain under) for his prey, until by such repeated efforts 
he succeeds in filling his canoe. Women are usually the 
buyers and subsequent retailers of such commodity. 
Rarely, except for European tastes, oysters are sold open, 
but in bulk with shell on. Such as are not disposed of 
fresh are cured similarly as are shrimps and fish. 
The oyster season, although the mollusc may be taken 
at any time, may be viewed to extend, as far as the Gold 
Coast colony goes, over six months or so of each year, 
during the rainy season. Oyster collectors make yearly 
presents to the fetish-priests, to invoke and propitiate the 
god of fish. 
There is a certain danger associated with this industry, 
for it has been known that persons concerned in the same 
have fallen victims to sharks and crocodiles. The collection of 
the raw material can be followed out by any man or woman. 
Odd to say, among the Yorubas, he who follows the oyster 
industry is considered as of the lowest grade of society. In 
the past such a man would be denied marriage in a family 
of position above his social estimate. Women go in for the 
collection of mangrove-oysters. 
In West Africa man has competitors as fish destroyers, 
such as the crocodile, shark, ray, otter, porpoise, water 
snake, turtle, tortoise, birds, etc. 
The West African rivers at their mouths, and up a 
certain distance, abound in sharks, which are the terror 
of the natives. They are found in greater numbers at 
some places as compared with others, but so far as I know 
their catch is not profitably, if at all, followed up. Sharks 
are eaten in Western Africa, as in many other tropical 
countries ; and when consumption at the time is not equal 
to available quantity, the surplus is sun-dried or smoked, 
being treated as are herrings and shrimps. 
