The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-06-10

distance. Arrived at the water side, the
proprietors Of the salt place their shares in
heaps together in row, every one setting
mark on his own. This done, they retire
half days journey. Then the negroes
thew want to deal with, who will not be seen
or spoken to, and seem to be inhabitants Of
some islands, come in large boats, and ha-
wing viewed the salt, lay a-sum of gold on
everv heap, and then withdraw. When they
are gone, the negroes who own the salt re-
turn. and if the quantity Of gold pleases
them, they take it and leave the salt; if
not. they leave both, and withdraw again.
The BUYERS again come on, and the heaps
they End without gold they carry with them,
and either advance more gold to the other
parcels or leave the salt. In this manner
they trade, without seeing or speaking to
one another, which has been very ancient
custom among them.
1t is very possible that this story, however
absurd il may seem to be, had then, and still
may have, good foundation in fact. Cada
MostO says that he had it from numberless
Arabs and Azanaghi merchants, as well as
other persons worthy Of credit it is believ-
ed in the present day by the MOors, and we
have good authority for believing that the
same custom has existed in other nations
since the earliest days Pliny allndes to the
custom, in noticing the trade with the Sc
res, 1.-THE Chinese, and Pomponious Mela,
the geographer, quoted in the "Commercial
intercourse with China" from the first num-
Der Of Hunts Library of Commerce, ex-
pressly says: The Seres are nation cleo.
brated for their Justice, and have become
known to US by their commerce, for they
lleave their merchandise in the desert, and
then retire until the merchants they deal
with have left price or barter for the a
mount, which, upon their departure, the Sc
res return and take" This, adds the author
of the "Commercial Intercourse" agrees
precisely with what is known to take place
in the land trade of the Chinese in the pre-
sent day.
We should not do full justice to Cada
Mosto's narrativeif we did not give his de-
scription Of these invisible and taciturn salt
eaters. 1t seems that in reply to his inqui-
ries upon the subject, he was informed that
there once lived an emperor Of MelIi, whose
curiosity overcame his prudence, aud he re-
solved to have sight Of his singular custo-
mers. He directed an ambuscade to be
laid atthe place Of trade, by which four oil
the inVisibles were caught. The waylayine
party thinking that one would answer then
purpose, set three Of them az liberty. Blu
they were disappointed in their expectation
of the fourth, who very obstinately refused
either to speak or eat, and at the end of fou
DAYS he died. "This cross accident wa
much regretted by the negroes of Nlelli, be
cause their lord was thereby prevented from
obtaining their eDGs; and the caPtors having
brought the emperor an account of the man.
death, he received it with great displeasure
and asked of what stature they were. HI
was answered that they were exceedingl
black, we'll shaped, and span taller thai
themselves. That their under lip was thicke
than mans fist, and hung down upon thel
breasts. That it was very red, and tina
something like blood dropped down from II
but that their upperliPwas as small as othe
people. That the form of their lips expo
sed to view their gums and teeth, who
were larger than their own; that they ma
great teeth in each corner of their mouths
: That their eyes were large and black.
short, that they made terrible figure, bloo
dropping from their gums astwell as teetn'
For three years after this, these people cam
not after their salt. At length the trad
was renewed, but no succeeding emPer'
: has been disposed 10 risk another lnteEru
! tion, by repeating the experiment.
7, On THE SAFE While the riots b