File:The Sherbro and its hinterland (1901) (14803166603).jpg

Identifier: sherbroitshinter00alld (find matches)
Title: The Sherbro and its hinterland
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Alldridge, T. J. (Thomas Joshua), 1847-1916
Subjects:
Publisher: London, New York : Macmillan and Co., limited New York, The Macmillan Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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(akind of bitter tomato), boiled sweet potatoes, dried okra,cassada, fowls, dried flying ants, dried rats on skewers,dried fish, good country-made mats, native pottery (chieflybowls in large quantities), a few cattle, sheep and goats,and a small quantity of salt and gunpowder ; the twolatter being the only imported articles. The chief currency was iron in long strips, in shapesomething like a tee square with a narrow twisted end,one strip of which I concluded to be equivalent to a penny.Salt was much valued ; but everything passed in barter.In the bush I met several native women who were goingto this market, with their purses under their arms, in theshape of a mat, containing perhaps a couple of dozen ofthese pieces of iron. It is curious to notice the way thatsalt is carried great distances through the country. Itis originally imported in bags, but is repacked into cylin-drical bundles of palm leaf about three feet long by threeinches in diameter, each containing some seven pounds of
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Fig. 65.—A Young UpiER Mendi Chief ( / (7 face page 217. XXI THROUGH THE HINTERLAND 217 salt, the value for one package being twenty irons, equalto IS. Sd. in English money. The iron when made up into spear heads and knives isbeautifully bright, having more the appearance of nickelthan of iron, and retaining its brightness. When used inconnection with certain musical instruments it gives out arich and pleasant tone. On one occasion in an interviewwith a young chief he said that, although they made countrycloths and palm oil,and planted tobacco and rice, they carriedno trade down to the sea ; but they exchanged their producefor iron and cattle. When he had collected two hundredpieces of iron or seven country cloths, he bought a slave.A man, woman or child were all considered as one head ofmoney. The slaves worked his farm or they could begiven to the chiefs in payment for their daughters, whobecame by country custom the wives of the purchaser. This particular chief being a young man

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