Chap. XXV. WOOLLEN CLOTH. — BEADS.— SUGAR. 137 
remains in the country, being used for ornamenting 
the tobes, sandals, shoes, and other things. 
Woollen cloth of the most ordinary quality, chiefly 
red, but about one third of the whole amount of green 
colour, was formerly imported to a great extent ; 
but it has gone out of fashion, and I think a better 
quality, like that with which the market of Timbuktu 
is supplied by way of Mogador or Swaira, would 
succeed. I estimate this branch at present at only 
fifteen millions. 
Beads, in very great variety*, form an important 
article of import ; but the price has become so low 
of late years that there has been very little profit, 
and the supply has been kept back to raise the prices. 
The import of this article certainly amounts to more 
than fifty millions of kurdi, of which sum the value 
of twenty may remain in the country. 
Of sugar, I think about one hundred camel-loads 
are imported every year, each containing eighty 
small loaves, of two and a half pounds each, which 
are sold in general at 1500 kurdl; so that the import 
of this article would amount to about twelve millions. 
It is very remarkable that in all Central Negroland 
the large English sugarloaf is scarcely ever seen, 
while it is the only one seen in Timbuktu. However, 
I was greatly surprised when, on my return from 
that place in 1854, 'Aliyu, the Emir el Mumenin of 
* The names of the different kinds of beads, of which I have 
collected thirty-five, bear evident testimony to the imaginative 
powers and lively character of the Hausawa. 
