WBSTEBH AFBICA 
sembled the palm oil, and sell for the pure 
oil that which was three-fourth parts clay 
and water. He has also known them, with 
true Yankee ingenuity, to hollow out balls 
of beeswax, and till the vacuum with sand, 
closing the sand in so neatly as to avoid de- 
tection. 
They also take the juice of camwood, 
and stain other wood with it, making such 
a perfect imitation that no one suspects the 
deception. They have also been known to 
manufacture an ingenious imitation of ivory, 
and sell it to the traders for the pure article. 
They have also been known to adulterate 
gold and palm off the spurious article upon 
tiie trader. 
i have been too often defeated whilst they 
were in my employ as oarsmen to believe 
any thing else than that they possess (natu- 
rally) as much mind as their paler brethren. 
It is their custom to stop at almost every 
village and town on the river when they 
travel with canoes ; and in order, to make 
better speed, 1 would, by stratagem, and the 
exercise oi dictatorial power, do my utmost to 
