INTRODUCTION 9 



said to consume the feminine mind as a passion. Imagine, 

 then, the revelry that could be got out of so large and varied 

 a list of things as I have but only cursorily described ! I 

 recall the circumstances of a day's shopping at Evans and 

 Company. I was wanting some unbleached calico, or baft. 

 I made my choice and the girl behind the counter asked me 

 how many yards I would require. When I replied I would 

 take 5000, she, with wonderful presence of mind, said : "I 

 think the manager had better attend to you — I will send for 

 him." As it happened, the manager had fore-knowledge of 

 my case, and we soon got to business, which ended the incident 

 in a different way to that which I am sure was looked for 

 by the girl. Doubtless, she waited expecting momentarily to 

 see the manager's apparent tactics of temporary pacification 

 terminate with the arrival of some form of gentle restraint. 



In deciding on the various kinds of trade-goods to take 

 out with us, I acted upon experience I had gathered in the 

 markets of the Gold Coast Hinterland, where the caravans 

 passed through to the coast. The more civilised people of 

 Nigeria and Bornu, such as the Hausas, Fulani, and Kanuri, 

 were the best buyers of the large quantities of baft, or un- 

 bleached cahco, and sheeting, for they found these took 

 their favourite blue dye very well, which is the prevalent 

 colour of their clothes. And the wealthier among them 

 were greatly attracted by our French flowered cambrics, 

 red and blue, and we did quite a good trade among the 

 mallams, or priests, with a fine white turban cloth. Another 

 very favourite stuff was red flannel, which the big men bought 

 to cover their saddles with. Scents and hair-oil were also 

 very much sought after by the people of Bornu, a fact which, 



