UP THE C4()N{;()LA RIVER TO ASHAKA 149 

 tin, and arrow poison, called by the natives " oguni," which 

 is also useful in medicine. The trade goods that buy these 

 are black cloth, salt, beads, enamelled buckets and basins. 



POTTERY AT SABUA 



Lau formerly did a big traffic in slaves, and a certain amount 

 still goes on secretly. There was a great scarcity of food 

 in the place at this time, partly owing to a punitive expedition 

 a year ago, and partly to the failure of the croj) of guinea- 

 corn, which had been visited with a certain destructive worm. 

 Besides, the Bashimas are an improvident race, and careless 

 in their farming. 



The natives along the banks are of fine build. They have 

 a fashion of scarring their arms all over with deep gashes. 

 Lau is under the Sultan of the Muri j^rovince. The last 

 ruler made away with the clerk in the Niger Company's store, 

 and, appropriating the key, sent in whenever he wanted 



