136 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



shag. We ourselves got good bird's-eye and fair black 

 cavendish from the captain of the Stevenson and others, 

 through Mr. Birse, but it is recommended to take a good 

 supply with one. The Russian tobacco is either very 

 weak, and for smoking in cigarettes', or very very filthy 

 and weak too. Cigars are Riga-made and smokable, but 

 not good. Plenty of wooden pipes should be taken. 

 Clay pipes are only sometimes procurable in Solombola, 

 and the wooden pipes of the country hold about a 

 thimbleful only. Other wooden pipes are not good, and 

 badly made. 



Any wine we saw was not fine wine, sweet champagne 

 and sweet Sauterne and pale sherry. Arrak and water 

 was not bad tipple, and ' quass ' was good. 



