GAMBIA TRADE, 1678.
“The factors of the English Company at James Fort, and those of the French at Albreda and other places, drive a very great trade in that country all along the river in brigantines, sloops, and canoes, purchasing—
Elephants’ teeth, beeswax, slaves, pagnos (country-made clothes), hides, gold and silver, and goods also found in the Sengal trade.
In exchange they give the Blacks—
Bars of iron, drapery of several sorts, woollen stuffs and cloth, linen of several sorts, coral and pearl, brandy or rum in anchors, firelocks, powder, ball and shot, Sleysiger linen, painted callicoes of gay colours, shirts, gilded swords, ordinary looking-glasses, salt, hats, Roan caps, all sorts and sizes of bugles, yellow amber, rock crystal, brass pans and kettles, paper, brass and pewter rings, some of them gilt, box and other combs, Dutch earthen cans, false ear-rings, satalaes, and sabres or cutlaces, small iron and copper kettles, Dutch knives called Bosmans, hooks, brass trumpets, bills, needles, thread and worsted of several colours.” This selection practically covered the trade up to Sierra Leone.