382 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XLIX. 
" khomasi," and 3,000 a "sedasi;" for those simple 
people not only wear these shells as ornaments, espe- 
cially the women, who are said to cover their hinder 
parts with them, but they make also caps of them, 
with which they adorn the heads of their deceased 
relations, while the Welad Rashid adorn principally 
the heads of their camels and horses with the favourite 
keme-keme, or " kemti," as they are called in Waday. 
Formerly there had been a market held only every 
Thursday ; but a short time previous to my arrival 
the people had found it advantageous to have a 
market every day, so that there was a daily market 
from eight in the morning till eleven in the forenoon, 
and from three in the afternoon till sunset. Of course 
it was not very well supplied, and was confined to 
the mere necessaries of life, the greatest luxury 
it contained consisting of onions, an article which is 
not to be procured in every part of Central Africa. 
At first they were very cheap, eight being sold for a 
farda ; but with the approach of the rainy season they 
increased in price, and I thought it prudent to lay 
in a supply, as I found this article extremely con- 
ducive to my health. And I would advise every 
traveller in these regions to be always provided 
with this vegetable ; for they may be either used for 
seasoning food, or cut in slices and mixed with 
tamarinds, making, as I have stated, a cool and re- 
freshing drink. But the black natives, as I have 
already mentioned on another occasion, do not in gene- 
ral make use of onions for seasoning their food, their 
