Page:A pilgrimage to my motherland.djvu/62

Rh large wooden mortar, and the juice wrung out, filtered and boiled to the consistence of candy. While at Ilorin and without sugar, we often used this preparation to sweeten our coffee. The reader, who knows any thing of the process of sugar-making will perceive from this that all the knowledge necessary to make these people sugar-makers, is that a small quantity of lime must be added to the juice in order to correct the acidity which begins to generate as soon as it is expressed. In this way many of the peasantry of the West-Indies prepare their own sugar, and often also for sale.

The Akus are great traders. Such a thing as over-reaching them in a bargain is unknown. In no instance do they ever charge for an article what they expect to get for it. "How much for this?" says the purchaser. "One head," replies the vender. "Won't you take forty strings?" "Bring on your cowries," is the reply. "Won't you take thirty strings?" "Bring on your money:" and thus on until the minimum is attained, when he replies: "Not a cowrie less." If the price suits the purchaser, well; if not, he passes on to another trader, when much the same dialogue ensues. Several of the personal habits of the natives are remarkable. The men universally shave, not only the