The threads used are narrow fibers of palm leaves, which are very strong.

The beads, however, are of unequal sizes, and no African girl who has any respect for her personal appearance will put on a string of beads until she has, with great pains and a good deal of skill, rubbed them with sand and water until all the projecting beads are ground down, and the whole are perfectly smooth and even.
Next in number to the dealers in beads were those who sold calico, or, as it is called in Africa, cloth, and gaudily colored kerchiefs for the head.

These three articles--beads, cotton cloth, and colored handkerchiefs--complete the list of articles required for the attire and adornment of males and females in Africa.

Besides these goods, tobacco, in dried leaves, short clay pipes, knives, small looking glasses, and matches were offered for sale.

The majority of the saleswomen, however, were dealers in eatables, dried fish, smoked fish, canki--which is a preparation of ground corn wrapped up in palm leaves in the shape of paste--eggs, fowls, kids, cooked meats in various forms, stews, boiled pork, fried knobs of meat, and other native delicacies, besides an abundance of seeds, nuts, and other vegetable productions.
After walking for some time through the streets Frank and his companions returned to the boat, where, half an hour later, the captain joined them, and, putting off to the Decoy, they continued the voyage down the coast.
The next morning they weighed anchor off Addah, a village at the mouth of the Volta.