West African studies Part 33

Powder, the barrel or rundlet of 7 lbs. goes for a piece.

Bra.s.s basons, 10 for a piece. We carry thither the largest.

Pewter basons of 4, 3, 2 and 1 lb. The No. 4 goes 4 to the piece, and those of 1 lb. 8 to a piece.

Blue perpetuanas have become but of late in great demand, they are measured as blue bafts, 6 yards making the piece.

Dutch cutlaces are the most valued because they have 2 edges, 2 such go for a piece.

Coral, the biggest and largest is much more acceptable here than small coral, which the Blacks value so little that they will hardly look on it, usually 1-1/2 oz. is computed a piece.

_Memorandum._ A whole piece of blue bafts contains commonly 18-1/2 yards, however some are shorter and others exceed.

_Pentadoes._ Commonly contain 9 or 9-1/2 to the piece.

_Tapseils._ The piece usually holds 15 yards.

_Nicanees._ The piece is 9 or 9-1/2 yards long."

The main export of Congo was slaves and elephants' teeth and gra.s.s clothes called Tibonges, were used by the Portuguese as at Loando in Angola. Some of them single marked with the arms of Portugal, and others double marked, and some unmarked.

The single marked cloth was equal in value to 4 unmarked, equal to about 8 pence.

TRADE GOODS FOR SAN PAUL DO LOANDA.

"Cloths with red lists, great ticking with long stripes and fine wrought red kerseys, _Silesia_ and other fine linen, fine velvet, small and great gold and silver laces, broad black bays, _Turkish_ tapestry or carpets, white and all sorts of coloured yarns, blue and black beads, st.i.tching and sewing silk, _Canary_ wines, brandy, linseed oil, seamen's knives, all sorts of spices, white sugar and many other commodities and trifles as great fish-hooks, pins a finger long, ordinary pins, needles and great and small hawks' bells.

"The _English_ compose their cargoes generally of bra.s.s, basons, annaba.s.ses, blue bafts, paper, brawls, _Guinea_ stuffs, muskets, powder, nicanees, tapseils, scarlet, _Slesia's_, coral, bags, wrought pewter, beads, pentedoes, knives, spirits, &c., all sorts of haberdashery, silks, linens, shirts, hats, shoes, &c., wrought pewter plates, dishes, porringers, spoons of each a little a.s.sortment are also very probably vended among the _Portuguese_, and also all manner of native made cloths from other parts of _Guinea_ fetch good prices in _Angola_."

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Miss Kingsley's "Studies in West Africa"_ TROPICAL WEST AFRICA.]

FOOTNOTES:

[94] For the reasons for the unhealthiness of this island see _Travels in West Africa_ (Macmillan), p. 46.