i8 THE EXPLORATION OF THE NIGER

currency on the Niger is the little co\vr>' found on the coast of Mozambique. Five thousand represent about the value

of a franc. As will at once be realized, this means a very- great weight to lug about, as heavy, in fact, as the Spartan coinage, and besides, it is not known everywhere even in Nigritia. In many villages everything is sold by barter.

" How much for that sheep?" you ask, and the answer is

** Ten cubits *' (about six yards) " of white stuff, or fifty gilt beads, so many looking-glasses, so many sheets of paper,

or so many bars of salt," according to what the seller wants most.

One must provide oneself with the sort of things

required.

Besides all this, presents arc needed, and all sorts of

unexpected articles come in usefully for them. Black-lead sold in tubes is used for blackening and increasing the

brilliance of the e\es of Fulah coquettes ; curtain-loops are transformed into shoulder ornaments or belts to hold the

weapons of warriors ; whilst the various dainty articles used

in cotillons are much appreciated by native belles, who are

also very fond of sticking tortoise-shell combs into their woolly locks. Take also some pipes, tobacco-pouches,

fishing-tackle, needles, knives and scissors, a few burnouses made of bath-towels, china and glass buttons, coral, amber, cheap silks, tri-coloured sunshades, etc.

We had to give powerful chiefs such things as embroidered

velvet saddles, weapons, costly garments, and valuable stuffs. Tastes change from one generation to another ; the fashion

is different in different villages ; besides, we were expected,

it was specified in our instructions, to open commercial relations with the natives for the travellers who should

succeed us. So we were bound to have with us as great

a variety of samples of our wares as possible.

Moreover, Tuaregs and negroes alike are only big