guinea-fowls, partridges, and pigeons, but never on the wing. While
the men are occupied in these pursuits the women are very diligent
in manufacturing cotton cloth. They prepare the cotton for spinning
by laying it in small quantities at a time upon a smooth stone or
piece of wood, and rolling the seeds out with a thick iron spindle;
and they spin it with the distaff. The thread is not fine, but well
twisted, and makes a very durable cloth. A woman with common
diligence will spin from six to nine garments of this cloth in one
year, which, according to its fineness, will sell for a minkalli and
a half or two minkallies each. {7} The weaving is performed by the
men. The loom is made exactly upon the same principle as that of
Europe, but so small and narrow that the web is seldom more than
four inches broad. The shuttle is of the common construction, but
as the thread is coarse the chamber is somewhat larger than the
European.

The women dye this cloth of a rich and lasting blue colour by the
following simple process: --The leaves of the indigo, when fresh
gathered, are pounded in a wooden mortar, and mixed in a large
earthen jar with a strong ley of wood-ashes; chamber-ley is
sometimes added. The cloth is steeped in this mixture, and allowed
to remain until it has acquired the proper shade. In Kaarta and
Ludamar, where the indigo is not plentiful, they collect the leaves
and dry them in the sun; and when they wish to use them they reduce
a sufficient quantity to powder and mix it with the ley, as before
mentioned. Either way the colour is very beautiful, with a fine
purple gloss, and equal in my opinion to the best Indian or European
blue. This cloth is cut into various pieces and sewed into garments
with needles of the natives' own making.