One group of friendlys was the Meo tribe, a tribe which was to be found only on mountainsides at the level of 3,000 to 3,500 feet. These people were extremely fond of French piasters--of the issues prior to 1901. They melted down the silver or sewed the piasters into their clothing. They used silve to decorate the muzzles of the flintlocks which they made for themselves and they used it for pipe decorations, bracelets, necklaces, headwear, dowries, whip handles and dagger shafts. The Meos were on excellent terms with U.S. AID. They were independent hillsmen.
Source: wiktionary