It Is Remarkable That In The Place Last
Mentioned (Boori), Which Is Situated About Four Days' Journey To The
South-
West of Kamalia, the salt market is often supplied at the same
time with rock-salt from the Great Desert
And sea-salt from the Rio
Grande; the price of each, at this distance from its source, being
nearly the same. And the dealers in each, whether Moors from the
north or negroes from the west, are invited thither by the same
motives - that of bartering their salt for gold.
The gold of Manding, so far as I could learn, is never found in any
matrix or vein, but always in small grains nearly in a pure state,
from the size of a pin's head to that of a pea, scattered through a
large body of sand or clay, and in this state it is called by the
Mandingoes sanoo munko (gold powder). It is, however, extremely
probable, by what I could learn of the situation of the ground, that
most of it has originally been washed down by repeated torrents from
the neighbouring hills. The manner in which it is collected is
nearly as follows:-
About the beginning of December, when the harvest is over and the
streams and torrents have greatly subsided, the mansa or chief of
the town appoints a day to begin sanoo koo (gold-washing), and the
women are sure to have themselves in readiness by the time
appointed. A hoe or spade for digging up the sand, two or three
calabashes for washing it in, and a few quills for containing the
gold dust, are all the implements necessary for the purpose.
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