240 PRICES OF COTTON GOODS, 



These tobes vary in price according to the number 

 of these ornamental additions to the simple cotton 

 thread, of which the greater number are entirely 

 composed. Four or five dollars is a great price to 

 give for one, but the one forwarded to our Queen 

 by Sahale Selassee was worth thirty dollars. I 

 gave for a cloth for Walderheros, which was ten 

 yards long and three quarters broad, ten ahmulahs ; 

 but when I wanted one a little finer, with a stripe 

 across each end of the blue and white worsted, for 

 my own use, I had to give a dollar for it. 



The mekanet, or girdle, generally woven for the 

 purpose, is considered to be worth one ahmulah 

 for a cubit, or from the point of the elbow to the 

 extreme tip of the middle finger, which is the only 

 measure of cloth in Abyssinia. Neither hats nor 

 shoes are worn by the Amhara ; but the Islam men 

 wear sandals, made something like the Dankalli 

 ones, and I think those which are brought into the 

 market are made by some settler in Aliu Amba, 

 either from Adal, or the city of Hurroo, and not by a 

 native Abyssinian. I bought myself a pair, having 

 worn out my English shoes, and gave the sum of 

 three ahmulahs (*~i\d.) for them, but Walderheros 

 bargained for a sword-belt besides from the man 

 who sold them to me. 



Among the articles of food exposed for sale, are 

 great quantities of grain in small skin-bags holding 

 perhaps, four or five pecks, and which may be pur- 

 chased for as many ahmulahs. Barley is somewhat 



