The morning times., 1896-09-28

In the course of an elaborate report oil
the Congo Free state. maze To tie State
department by ULiteu States Consul Dorsey
Monun. wEe travelled for two years with
the Ecgian forces through the interior Gf
that country. occur many Interesting ac-
counts OF the methods Of trading used by
the Latives. Where money is niaGe the
medium Of exchange. brass zoos OF diff
4 fereI, lengths are used as staudaIds OF
value in some districts, ard in others,
peaces of cotton cloth. squares OF woven
PAIN fiber and beads pass for currency.
Consul Mohun's OPP Crtunities for study
ing This Utmost unknown country We're ex-
ccptiunaily good, and his Iel Crt, which
Will soon be published by the State Depart
Dent. will give u clever knowledge OF The
commercial possibilities OF the vast Congo
region Than perhaps eau lie obtained from
the chronicles OF any other traveller in the
great African valley. The first market
Described is that at Leopoidyille. on the
lower river, where twice week three or
four thousand natives bring their products
10 exchange for gunpowuer aud checked
cloth. the only money in use being trass
rods or .'milako.' which are cut in lengths
eight inches long.
ARTICLES FOR TRADE.
At Banana Point the articles used for
traae with the ratives are red tandaDa
handkerchiefs, gin, cloth, Leads, matches,
old silk hats, colored parasois, Cheap
Knives Hmt16ck mus kets, powder, brass
rods, crockeryware, tiBware, old uniform
coats, old derby hats, rum, cheap watches.
aud cologne. All these articles are spe-
Ciaily MADE for the trade, and The stand
ara Of value Is a Piece OF handkerchief
twenty-four feet long and three feet broad,
and valued at 60 cents.
When the tracer buys produce he gives
cut carGsN to fire Iatives, which are good
each for one Iiecc of handkerchief, and
when the caravan has been bought out the
natives eonle to the fetch, or store, and
hand in their cards, when they can select
what they want t. the value OF the cards
held. As rule, they will not touch money,
Trxarairi,-it- -ae-lSeiess, and this, cf course,
is a great advantage 20 the trader, who
makes large profits in exchange for hand
kerchiefs, which probably cost him landed
in the Congo, duty paid. 20 cents apiece.
AT Lake Leopold the medium OF exchange
consists OF sn all white and blue round
beads. small Cowrie, checked cotton cloth
and stripes, brass rods In sn all quantities.
large and small balls, tin plates and
looking glasses. American sheeting, COM
iLouiy Known throughout Central Africa
as 'Merikani," also goes 1Eell.
AT Yambinga brass Iods, beads and cloth
are currency, t he rods being uniformly
Twenty-four inches long. One stone flint
for flint lock Inusket is worth nine pounds
of rubber at Ikimi- Lusambo, W hiCh is a
large Slate Post established To block the
progress of the Arabs westward, Is the
.aepet. OF thrifty, industrious, populous
district. Food is Iitiiculously cheap, and
a small egg cup full OF blue glass beads,
little larger than pinheads, will purchase
food for one man for a week. The other
currency is copper crosses, cowries, brass
rods and clotn. Coffee and cotton grows
wild and he natives own a good many
cattle. A COW can be boug ht for one flint
lock gun, valued at $3.50 on the coast.
The cash of Arab in these people makes
them exceedingly clear in strong contrast
with Congo savaSes-
HOW THEY DRESS.
= Mr.. Mohun says that while the Congo
species is satisfied with a strip OF dirty
cloth a foot wide, covering him In front
and be nd, with the ends tucked in a
string around the waist, the Arab boy
Will sew all his cloth together which lie
receives in pay and drape the whole thing
over himself. He saw one man wearing
at least 200 yards of such cloth, and II
was always kept clean.
= AT kaesabl,o, where q great market
is held three times a week, the money is
'madIba, u square OF woven palm fiber,
and with SIX OF these man eau get
food enough to last him a week. These
madibas are patched into garments aud
worn until needed as money. Madibas and
ron hoes constitute the money at Nangue,
which is the African salt center. Here
salt is also used to purchase everything
is practically the standard OF value.
Ivory does not appear to be used In
payment OF dues anu taxes any where IN the
state, probably on account OF its size.
il Is first exchanged for brass rods and
madibas, which circulate freely. Only in
exceptional instances will any foreign coin
be received in payment for articles, the
natives being suspicious OF it. Gold and
silver are altogether unknown and cannot
be forced upon the savages. The Congo
State is said TO be bankrupt, its expend-
Itures more than do ubling its receipts
from domestic revenues, the advances from
the Belgian treasury and King Leopold
II. making up the deficiencies.