Money was as good as useless

February
1927

We hurried on to the former capital, Gonder. The caravan had become worn out after a month and a half constantly on the road. On the map there was a large circle indicating a major city, an old capital. It turned out that in this capital there were neither market stalls nor any permanent market; it was held only once a week. Money was as good as useless; it was impossible to buy anything with it. Here barter was the natural way of dealing. It was necessary to get help from the governor to somehow turn our money into a couple of mules, which were of much use to us, into assets for which other goods could be obtained. He directed us to a market, which was crowded with thousands of people milling around the place with or without any purpose. The majority carried small wicker umbrellas, although it was not hot and it was quite possible to manage without an umbrella. But carrying one was fashionable not only for women but also for many men. It was a kind of custom.

In a special, small row of the market, we could buy salt and pepper for money. Crystallized salt serves as common currency for major deals and dried red pepper, provoking a proper sneeze, is used as small change. When buying samples of grain, we paid with a handful of red pepper. The price of a mule was 20-30 pieces of salt.

This was the district of Aksum, settled earlier in history by a civilization around the upper Blue Nile. Enormous, magnificent obelisks with delicate inscriptions had been erected, bearing evidence of an old civilization contemporary with that of the pharaohs. The soils were stony, the climate was dry and the crops were insignificant.

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