Observations Upon the Windward Coast of Africa: The religion, character, customs, &c. of the natives; with a system upon which they may be civilized, and a knowledge attained of the interior of this extraordinary quarter of the globe; and upon the natural and commercial resources of the country; made in the years 1805 and 1806; with an appendix, containing a letter to Lord Howick, on the most simple and effectual means of abolishing the slave tradeCorry, Joseph
History
Observations Upon the Windward Coast of Africa: The religion, character, customs, &c. of the natives; with a system upon which they may be civilized, and a knowledge attained of the interior of this extraordinary quarter of the globe; and upon the natural and commercial resources of the country; made in the years 1805 and 1806; with an appendix, containing a letter to Lord Howick, on the most simple and effectual means of abolishing the slave trade
Corry, Joseph
Africa, West -- Description and travel; Slave trade -- Africa
The bar is by no means a precise value, but subject to much variation; the
quantity and quality of the articles materially differing in many parts of
the coast, and frequently on rivers of a near vicinity; for example, six
heads of tobacco are equal in trade to a bar, as is a gallon of rum, or a
fathom of chintz.
A piece of cloth which, in one place, will only pass for 6 bars, will in
others fluctuate to 10; hence the trader must form an average standard, to
reduce his assortment to an equilibrium.
The following are the barter prices now established throughout a
considerable extent of the Windward Coast; but it is to be observed, they
are subject to fluctuation from locality of situation and other
circumstances.
1 blue baft 6 bars
1 bonny chintz & stripe 8
1 white baft 6
1 byrampaut 6
1 chilloe 6
1 bijudapaut 6
1 cushtae 5
1 bonny blue romal 5
1 niccanee 5
1 sastracundie 4
1 India cherridery 6
1 taffety 15
1 cottanee 12
1 dozen britannias 8
1 piece of bandanas 6
1 barrel of powder 60
1 fowling gun 8
1 burding 6
1 soldier's gun 5 bars
1 buccanier ditto 6
1 dozen of cutlasses 8
1 sword blade 2
1 iron bar 1
1000 arangoes 30
1 bunch of point beads 1
1 bunch of mock coral 1
Red pecado 3lb. for 1
Seed beads, ditto 1
Battery ditto 1
1 Mandingo kettle 1
1 dozen of hardware 3
1 bason 1
1 ton of salt 60
1 fine hat 3
Tobacco, 6lb. to 1
Rum, per gallon 1
Prime ivory is procured at a bar per lb, and _escrevals_, or pieces under
20lb. 1 bar for each 1-1/2lb.
As the natives are unacquainted with arithmetic, their numerical
calculations are carried on by counters of pebbles, gun-flints, or cowries.
After the number of bars is decided upon, a counter, or pebble, &c. is put
down, representing every bar of merchandize, until the whole is exhausted,
when the palaver is finished; and, as they have very little idea of the
value of time, they will use every artifice of delay and chicane to gain a
bar.
In matters of less consequence they reckon with their fingers, by bending
the little finger of the right hand close to the palm, and the other
fingers in succession, proceeding to the left hand, concluding the
calculation by clapping both the hands together; and if it requires to be
extended, the same process is repeated.
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