130 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XXV. 
which have a wide market, are principally sandals. 
The sandals are made with great neat- 
ness, and, like the cloth, are exported to 
an immense distance ; but being a cheap 
article (the very best, which are called 
" taka-saraki," fetching only 200 kurdi), 
they bear of course no comparison in 
importance with the former. I estimate 
this branch at ten millions. It is very 
curious that the shoes made here by 
Arab shoemakers, of Sudan leather, and called 
" belgha," are exported in great quantities to North 
Africa. The "neslsa," or twisted 
leather strap, is a celebrated ar- 
ticle of Kano manufacture, and 
"jebiras," richly ornamented, 
as the accompanying woodcut 
shows, are made by Arab work- 
men. 
The other leather- work I will 
not mention here, as it does not 
form a great article of com- 
merce ; but tanned hides (" kula- 
bu ") and red sheepskins, dyed 
with a juice extracted from the 
stalks of the holcus, are not un- 
important, being sent in great 
quantities even as far as Tripoli. 
I value the amount of export at 
about five millions.* 
* There are many other branches of manufacture in Kano 
