60 
GRANARIES — ARTICLES OF COMMERCE. 
standing the carelessness of these people, fires are very rare ; 
and the pliant mass of these huts, withstands storms by yield- 
ing to their fury. The furniture consists of a few mats, 
on which the Negroes sleep. A cauldron of iron, or more 
generally of earthen-ware, a few calebashes, and a wooden 
mortar for pounding millet, constitute the whole of their 
culinary utensils. 
Beyond the precincts of their villages, the Negroes elevate 
large rush baskets on stakes ; in these they keep their grain, 
and such is the respect paid to the right of property that these 
stores are never violated. 
The commodities which serve as standards for the value 
of others in their dealings by barter, are cotton cloths and 
millet ; but the traders who visit St. Louis and Goree have 
learned the value of silver. For this metal only they in 
general dispose of their cattle or horses to Europeans ; they 
nevertheless prefer the English copper coin, because, as it 
requires a larger number, and a greater weight, to represent 
the same value in piastres, they imagine themselves so much 
the richer. The silver which they carry into the interior of 
their country, is used for making trinkets. For the cotton 
cloths made by the negro weavers, they pay in millet, and 
the blacksmiths are paid with cloths. Gold, amber, and 
coral, are given in exchange for slaves, and the latter for horses 
and oxen. 
If any important business requires long deliberation, or 
