65 
mi the Countries of Congo and Loango. 
of twisting the fibres upon the thigh, with the hand. In this 
state, it is wrought into shawls and caps, and other pieces of 
dress. 
The caps are knit with a single needle in a very ingenious 
manner, — commencing at the crown. They present the appear- 
ance of alternate zones of raised and inverted work, assuming 
diflPerent paterns. Their value varies from one to two guineas. 
The shawls are generally of a circular form, with an opening 
in the middle to admit the head. They likewise are knit, and 
have a variety of open work upon them. Two small semicircu- 
lar segments are left opposite to each other upon the circumfe- 
rence of the shawl : from each of these, a large tuft of untwist- 
ed fibres is suspended by a number of threads, wrought into the 
shawl alongst the margin of the segment, like radii of the circle 
of which it is a part. These tufts serve both for ornament and 
fly-flaps. 
If the material, from which these articles are made, were ma- 
nufactured in the same manner as flax, it might become very 
valuable ; for it could be reduced to great fineness, the fibres 
being remarkably strong, and capable of very minute division. 
Money. — When manufactured, grass-cloth becomes the repre- 
sentative of wealth : each piece is about 20 inches long and 15 
broad, and worth threepence. With these, purchases of slaves, 
ivory, corn, pepper, &c. are made ; and a person going to mar- 
ket, takes a roll of them under his arm. A certain number 
sewed together, make a piece of a proportionally higher value, 
which at the same time serves for clothing. 
Tkees.* — Travellers say, that Congo and Loango abound 
in great varieties of beautiful trees, shrubs, and flowers ; but 
during the seasons in which I have always happened to be 
there, they were not conspicuous ; a few scarlet flowering trees, 
at a distance in the forests, being all that were observable 
from the river. It is well known, however, that pieces of 
valuable cabinet timber, have at times been picked up among 
the fire- wood, and sold in Liverpool at one guinea a foot. 
Bar-wood, or red Saunders, grows to a very large tree. It fur- 
nishes a valuable dye, and constitutes the chief article of trade 
at Mayumba, where ships of 400 or 500 tons burden come for it. 
The Ebpny^tree abounds in Loango, and furnishes sceptres for 
VOI.. VI. NO. IL TANUAKY 1822. E 
