MONKEY, BOAR, AND BUFFALO MEAT. 113 
or meat. The former was so terribly hot with Cayenne 
pepper that it tasted of nothing else. I was glad to get 
through with the crocodile. 
The monkey was perfectly delicious; I had not en- 
joyed any thing so much for a long time, despite his 
looking so much like a roasted baby. I am sure no 
venison at home could have tasted better. 
The wild boar was so terribly high that I backed out, 
but friend Quengueza thought it was exquisite; and 
wher. he had finished eating it, he told Obindji’s head- 
wife to keep what was left for him, as he intended to 
eat the whole of it. At the same time he got up as if he 
-wanted to stiffen himself for more food, and then sat 
down, saying that he was ready to go on again. 
Just for fun I offered to friend Quengueza a piece 
of the tongue of the buffalo and part of his boiled rib. 
The old chief recoiled, for none of his clan (the Abouya), 
as I have said, can eat of this meat, for they have a legend 
that once one of their clan gave birth to such an animal ; 
and if they were to eat of it disease would creep upon 
them, they would die, and their women would give birth 
again to such a monster. Quengueza told Obindji 
‘that the vessels that cooked the buffalo must be broken, 
for fear that his wives might cook his food in them. 
Hvery clan has some kind of animal they do not eat. 
Quengueza assured me that when a boy he saw a woman 
_ who had given birth to a crocodile. I scarcely touched 
the buffalo meat; the otter I did not like. When I 
came to the antelope my appetite had gone, to my great 
sorrow, for I am very fond of this dish. I finished up 
my dinner with a slice of pine-apple. I doubt very much 
if a more curious dinner could be given anywhere. 
