DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH. &59 
custody ; which, coming to the ears of the crew, 
. very naturally gave rise to a mutiny. 
As Moore resided so long in this part of Africa 
in the capacity of factor, his account of the com- 
merce upon the river is perhaps the most valuable 
which we yet possess. 
The Gambia is navigable for sloops six hundred 
miles from its mouth, to the falls of Barraconda. 
To that point also the tide ascends, which he re- 
marks is higher than in any other river with which 
he is acquainted. The lower parts are flat and 
woody ; but the upper rise into hills of consider- 
able height, composed of iron-stone. The value 
of European goods is expressed by bars, an ima- 
ginary denomination, expressing a certain quantity 
of each species of commodity. A pound of fringe, 
two pounds of gunpowder, an ounce of silver, and 
a hundred gun flints, are each equal to a bar. 
There are certain articles called " the heads of the 
" goods," being those alone for which there exists 
at all times a sure demand. These " heads' ' are 
spread-eagle dollars, crystal beads, iron bars, brass 
pans, and arrangoes. Into the price of every 
slave, there must enter a certain number ©f heads. 
The articles received in return are chiefly gold, 
ivory, bees-wax, and, above all, slaves. The gold 
is of good quality, finer than sterling ; it is brought 
in small bars, large in the middle, and turned 
round into rings of the value of from 10s. to 40s. 
