The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, in the Year 1805 Part 20

Value in Cowries.

A musket ---- ---- ---- 6 to 7000

A cutla.s.s ---- ---- ---- 1500 to 2000

A flint ---- ---- ---- ---- 40

Gunpowder, one bottle ---- ---- 3000

Amber No. 1. ---- ---- ---- ---- 1000

Ditto No. 2. ---- ---- ---- ---- 800

Ditto No. 3. ---- ---- ---- ---- 400

Amber No. 4. ---- ---- ---- ---- 160

Ditto No. 5. ---- ---- ---- ---- 80

Ditto No. 6. ---- ---- ---- ---- 60

Coral No. 4. each stone ---- ---- 60

Black points, per bead ---- ---- 20

Red garnets, per string ---- ---- 40

White ditto, per string ---- ---- 40

Blue agates, per string ---- ---- 100

Round rock coral, per bead ---- 5

Long ditto, per bead ---- ---- 5

Short arrangoes, per bead ---- 40

Gold beads, per bead ---- ---- 10

An Indian baft ---- ---- 20,000

A barraloolo, or five-bar piece 8,000

Scarlet cloth 10 spans ---- 20,000

If sold to the Karankeas _in retail_ 30,000

_Light yellow_ cloth nearly the same as scarlet;

_blue_ not so high

Paper per sheet ---- ---- 40

A dollar ---- ---- from 6 to 12,000

Or from 1. 5s. to 2. 10s

AFRICAN PRODUCE.

A _minkalli_ of gold (12s. 6d. sterling) ---- 3000

Four minkallies are equal to 3. 3s. Value in Cowries.

_Ivory_, the very largest teeth, each ---- 10,000

The medium size ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 7,000

The smaller ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 3 or 4000

_Indigo leaves_ beat and dried in lumps larger

than ones fist, each ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 40

A prime slave, (male) ---- ---- ---- ---- 40,000

A ditto, (female) ---- ---- ---- from 80 to 100,000

A girl ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 40,000

A horse from two to ten prime male slaves

A cow (fat) ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 15,000

An a.s.s ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 17,000

A sheep ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 3 to 5,000

A fowl ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 250 to 300

As much _excellent fat beef_ as will be sufficient

for seven men one day ---- ---- ---- ---- 620

As much _good beer_ as the same number can

drink in one day ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 300

October 16th.--Modibinne and Jower arrived, and told me that they had brought a canoe from Mansong. I went to see it, and objected to one half of it, which was quite rotten. They sent up to Sego for another half; but when it arrived, it would not fit the one already sent. I was therefore forced to send Isaaco again to Sego; and as Mansong had requested me by Modibinne to sell him any spare arms I might have, I sent two blunderbusses, two fowling pieces, two pair of pistols, and five unserviceable muskets; requesting in return that Mansong would either send a proper canoe, or permit me to purchase one that I might proceed on my journey. Isaaco returned on the 20th with a large canoe; but half of it was very much decayed and patched, I therefore set about joining the best half to the half formerly sent; and with the a.s.sistance of Abraham Bolton (private) took out all the rotten pieces; and repaired all the holes, and sewed places; and with eighteen days _hard labour, changed the_ Bambarra canoe into _His Majesty's schooner Joliba_; the length forty feet, breadth six feet; being flat bottomed, draws only one foot water when loaded.