THE BAZAAR OF KHARTOOM. 
413 
of bran, was removed to a screw-press, made of wood 
(without a nail), cow-hide, and grass. The oil, so ex- 
pressed, dropped at intervals into a receiver below. 
At the soap-factory belonging ' to Shenooda, an ivory- 
trader, we saw two boilers busily at work. The lime 
and sesamum-oil used in the manufacture were both 
from Azrah. Ali Bey, who kindly showed us over 
these places, brought us also to the gold and silver 
smiths' shops. The artificers are celebrated for work- 
ing in filigree, similar to that of Delhi or Cuttack, 
and must originally have learned the art from East- 
erns. Cups with stalks, made for holding the Turk- 
ish coffee-cup, are formed of the purest soft yellow 
gold, found as a dust in the Soudan. Napoleon or 
sovereign gold would not answer for such fine work- 
manship, having too much alloy; consequently, when 
cups are ordered, gold-dust is given to the workman. 
At the two shops we visited several youths were busy, 
sitting on the ground, each with a small anvil before 
him, hammering at threads of pure metal. Handsome 
small drinking-cups are turned out of the rhinoceros- 
horn, which has this advantage over the horns of 
cattle, that, in a hot country, it retains its shape, 
and does not crack. 
The coinage of Khartoom was puzzling, on account 
of the variety of pieces and their names. The follow- 
ing are some of those in circulation : — 
1 para, equal to one-fifth of a pice. 
8 pice or 8 five-para pieces, equal 1 piastre (copper silvered over). 
2|- piastres or groosh, „ 1 thick sixpenny piece of silver. 
4J „ „ „ shilling „ 
19£ „ „ 1 Egyptian dollar or five-franc piece. 
20 „ „ 1 Maria Theresa dollar. 
77 „ „ 1 napoleon, 
100 „ j, 1 sovereign. 
