INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 
281 
very dexterous marksmen, and will hit a lizard on a tree, or 
any other small object, at an amazing distance. They likewise 
kill Guinea-fowls, partridges, and pigeons, but never on the 
wing. While the men are occupied in these pursuits, the 
women are very diligent in manufacturing cotton-cloth. They 
prepare the cotton for spinning, by laying it in small quantities 
at a time, upon a smooth stone, or piece of wood, and rolling 
the seeds out with a thick iron spindle; and they spin it with 
the distaff. The thread is not fine, but well twisted, and makes 
a very durable cloth. A woman with common diligence, will 
spin from six to nine garments of this cloth in one year; which, 
according to its fineness, will sell for a minkalli and a half, or 
two minkallies each * The weaving is performed by the men. 
The loom is made exactly upon the same principle as that of 
Europe ; but so small and narrow, that the web is seldom more 
than four inches broad. The shuttle is of the common con- 
struction ; but as the thread is coarse, the chamber is somewhat 
larger than the European. ' ■ ■ > > ^ > 
The women die this cloth of a rich and lasting blue colour, 
by the following simple process: the leaves of the indigo when 
fresh gathered, are pounded in a wooden mortar, and mixed in 
a large earthen jar, with a strong ley of wood ashes ; chamber- 
,very common in the woods. The leaves of this shrub, when boiled with a small 
quantity of water, yield a thick black juice, into which the Negroes dip a cotton 
thread ; this thread they fasten round the iron of the arrow, in such a manner that 
it is almost impossible to extract the arrow, when it has sunk beyond the barbs, 
without leaving the iron point, and the poisoned thread, in the wound. 
* A minkalli is a quantity of gold, nearly equal in value to ten shillings sterling. 
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