Footnote 52:[ (return) ] A distance of upwards of 1200 British miles.
BIRDS.
They have common fowls, ostriches, and a bird larger than our blackbird [53]; also storks, which latter are birds of passage, and arrive in the spring and disappear at the approach of winter; swallows, &c.
Footnote 53:[ (return) ] The starling.
FISH.
They have many extremely good in the Nile; one of the shape and size of our salmon [54]; the largest of these are about four feet long. They use lines and hooks brought from Barbary, and nets, like our casting nets, made by themselves. They strike large fish with spears and fish-gigs.
Footnote 54:[ (return) ] The shebbel, a species of salmon, a very delicate fish, but so rich that it is best roasted, which the Arabs do in a superior manner.
PRICES OF DIFFERENT ARTICLES.
Sheep from ten to sixteen cowries. Cowries [55] are much valued, and form an ornament of head-dress even for the richest women; they are highly valued as ornaments. Goats are cheaper than sheep; the best from eight to twelve cowries. Fowls from four to six cowries each. Antelopes are very scarce and dear. Camels from thirty to sixty cowries, according to their size and condition. Ostriches, of which vast numbers are brought to market, are very cheap; the fore-feathers [56] are often carried to Tafilelt and Marocco, the inferiors are thrown away. A good slave is worth ten, fifteen, or twenty ducats of five shillings each; at Fas, they are worth from sixty to a hundred ducats: females are the dearest. Slaves are most valuable about twelve years old. They have fish-oil for lamps, but use neither wax nor tallow for candles. The fish-oil is a great article of trade, and is brought from the neighbourhood [57] of the sea by Genawa [58] to Housa, and thence to Timbuctoo; dearer at Timbuctoo than at Housa, and dearer at Housa than at Genawa.