THE SOURCE OF THE NITE, "37 
try, being circulated in the form of wedges, or bricks ; 
it ferves the purpofe of filver coin, and is the change of 
gold; fo that this herb is of the utmoft ufe in preventing 
the increafe in price of this neceffary article, which is the 
principal food of all ranks of people in this country. Brides 
paint their feet likewife from the ancle downwards, as 
alfo their nails and palms of their hands, with this drug. 
I brought with me into Europe a large quantity of the 
feed’ refembling that of coriander, and difperfed it’ plen- 
tifully through all the royal gardens: whether it has fuc-. 
ceeded or not I cannot fay. . 
_ Besrpes the market of Gondar, the neighbourimg black: 
favages, the woolly-headed Shangalla; purchafe the greateft 
part of thefe commodities from them, and many others, 
-whichthey bring from the capital when they return thence3_ 
they receive in exchange elephants teeth, rhinoceros-horns, 
gold in fmall pellets, and'a quantity of very ftne-cotton ; of 
which: goods they might receive'a much greater quantity 
were they content to cultivate trade in a fair way, with= 
out making inroads upon thefe favages for the fake of 
flaves, and thereby difturbing-them in their occupations of 
feeking.for gold and hunting:the elephant. 
Tue way this trade, though: very much’ limited, is efta- 
blifhed, is by two nations fending their children mutually to> 
each other; there is then peace between thofe two families 
which have fuch hoftages ; thefe children often intermar- 
ry; after which that family is underftood to be protected,. 
and at peace, perhaps, for a generation: but fuch inftances. 
are rare, the natural propenfity of both nations being to theft: 
Vox, Ul. 5A. . and: 
