TRICK OF COMMON SALT. 237 



siderable reduction is made in its value when any 

 article is purchased. 



When by any accident the salt-pieces are broken, 

 they are receivable only as common salt, although 

 sometimes, if but into two pieces, these are bound 

 round with a piece of very pliant tough bark called 

 " /zY," and at a diminished value still circulate. 



Besides ahmulahs the Shoan markets are supplied 

 with a rough broken salt in thin broad pieces, of 

 no use but for culinary puiT)oses, by the Dankalli, 

 who bring it to Dinnomalee from the Bahr Assal, 

 or salt lake, near Taj our ah. This kind of salt is 

 of less value than the ahmulah, and is only 

 employed as barter, and the solid money-piece will 

 command weight for weight, one half as much more 

 of the Adal salt ; so that the Shoans submit to a 

 loss of just fifty per cent, of material for the 

 convenience of their clumsy currency. 



The town of Aliu Amba being occupied by 

 Christians and Mahomeclans, its market presents a 

 much more varied appearance than either that of 

 Farree or Ankobar ; the former being almost 

 exclusively frequented by Mahomedans, whilst the 

 latter (which is held in the meadow adjoining to 

 the mill of Demetrius, on the road to Tchakkah) is 

 as exclusively Christian in its dealings. To judge 

 from the character of the produce sent to Aliu 

 Amba market, it would not be difficult to assign the 

 greater amount of wealth in Shoa to the possession 

 of the Christian subjects of Sahale Selassee ; but, on 



