in such way as to form curious figures upon it, like flowered damask, which they consider as very ornamental[221].  Although they go in a manner naked, yet many of them, and the women especially, are almost loaded with collars, bracelets, rings, and chains, of gold, copper, or ivory.  I have seen one of their ivory armlets weighing 38 ounces, which was worn by one of their women on her arm.  It was made of one piece of the largest part of an elephant’s tooth, turned and somewhat carved, having a hole through which to pass the hand.  Some have one on each arm and one on each leg, and though often so galled by them as to be almost lame, they still persist to use them.  Some wear great shackles on their legs of bright copper, and they wear collars, bracelets, garlands, and girdles of certain blue stones, resembling beads.  Some also of their women wear upon their arms a kind of fore-sleeves[222], made of plates of beaten gold.  They wear likewise rings on their fingers made of gold wire, having a knot or wreath, like those which children make on rush rings.  Among other golden articles bought by our men, were some dog-collars and chains.

[Footnote 221:  Now well known under the name of tatooing.—­E.]

[Footnote 222:  Sleeves for the fore-arms, or from the elbow to the wrist.—­E.]

These natives of Guinea are very wary in driving bargains, and will not willingly lose the smallest particle of their gold, using weights and measures for the same with great circumspection.  In dealing with them, it is necessary to behave with civility and gentleness, as they will not trade with any who use them ill.  During the first voyage of our people to that country, on departing from the place where they had first traded, one of them either stole a musk-cat or took her away by force, not suspecting that this could have any effect to prevent trading at the next station:  But although they went there in full sail, the news had got there before them, and the people refused to deal with them until the cat were either restored or paid for at a fixed price.  Their houses are made of four posts or trees set in the ground, and are covered with boughs; and their ordinary food is roots, with such fish as they take, which are in great plenty.  Among these are flying fishes, similar to those seen in the West India seas.  Our people endeavoured to salt some of the fish which they caught on the coast of Africa, but some said that they would not take salt, and must therefore be eaten immediately; while others alleged that, if salted immediately when taken, they would keep good for ten or twelve days.  Part of the salt meat taken by our people from England became putrid while on the coast of Africa, yet turned sweet again after their return to a temperate region.  They have a strange method of making bread, which is as follows:  They grind, with their hands, between two stones, as much corn into meal as they think may suffice the family, and making this flour into a paste with water, they knead it into thin cakes, which are stuck upon the posts of their houses and baked or dried by the heat of the sun; so that when the master of the house or any of the family are in want of bread, they take it down from the post and eat.