great criterion of taste and elegance. When a lady of consequence
is in full dress, her gold ornaments may be worth altogether from
fifty to eighty pounds sterling.

A small quantity of gold is likewise employed by the slatees in
defraying the expenses of their journeys to and from the coast, but
by far the greater proportion is annually carried away by the Moors
in exchange for salt and other merchandise. During my stay at
Kamalia, the gold collected by the different traders at that place
for salt alone was nearly equal to one hundred and ninety-eight
pounds sterling; and as Kamalia is but a small town, and not much
resorted to by the trading Moors, this quantity must have borne a
very small proportion to the gold collected at Kancaba, Kankaree,
and some other large towns. The value of salt in this part of
Africa is very great. One slab, about two feet and a half in
length, fourteen inches in breadth, and two inches in thickness,
will sometimes sell for about two pounds ten shillings sterling; and
from one pound fifteen shillings to two pounds may be considered as
the common price. Four of these slabs are considered as a load for
an ass, and six for a bullock. The value of European merchandise in
Manding varies very much according to the supply from the coast, or
the dread of war in the country; but the return for such articles is
commonly made in slaves. The price of a prime slave, when I was at
Kamalia, was from twelve to nine minkallies, and European
commodities had then nearly the following value:-


18 gun-flints,
48 leaves of tobacco, } one
20 charges of gunpowder, } minkalli.