138 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XXV. 
Sokoto, presented to me an English loaf of sugar ; and 
I heard that he had received several of them as 
presents from a merchant of Tawat. The small loaf 
has certainly a great advantage in such a country, 
where money is scarce ; and I found in 1854 that its 
weight had even been reduced to two pounds. 
Common paper, called on the coast "tre lune," 
from the mark of three moons which it bears, is 
imported in great quantity, being used for wrapping 
up the country cloth ; but it is a bulky, heavy article, 
and in larger quantities is sold at a very cheap rate. 
The whole amount of this import may be about five 
millions of kurdi. 
Needles, with the emblem of the pig*, and small 
looking-glasses called " lemma," in boxes, form im- 
portant but very cheap articles, and 1 think their 
amount together will not much exceed the value of 
eight millions. Generally, the needles in large quan- 
tities are sold for one " uri " or shell each, but often 
even cheaper ; and I was obliged to sell a thousand 
for six hundred kurdf. Also, fine needles for silk- 
work are in request, but only in small quantity, while 
large darning-needles are not at all wanted here, 
where the cotton cloth is fine, but are the most pro- 
fitable thing in Eastern Negroland, from Bagirmi 
inclusive to Abyssinia. 
Sword-blades, which are set here, are imported in 
considerable quantity ; as not only the Kel-owi and 
* Originally these came from Nuremberg, but of late they have 
been also produced in Leghorn. 
