Life and Scenery in Uganda 



periodically, the creeping things innumerable 

 which take up their abode in them are a continual 

 plague and worry. 



At intervals also — and this applies rather more 

 to the tiny by-paths through the jungle — one 

 bursts out of a tangle of elephant grass or bush 

 upon a neat clearing, in which will be seen, facing 

 a small patch of cultivation, a round beehive- 

 shaped hut of grass, with a low door, in front of 

 which two or three tiny brats are busily engaged 

 in bullying the goats and chickens. You can 

 always bet on three things there besides the dirty 

 child — bananas, sweet potatoes, and bark-cloth 

 trees. Each family is absolutely self-contained, 

 so to speak ; each grows on its own patch of 

 cfround all the necessaries of life. Bananas when 

 roasted and ground up make flour (of a sort ! ) ; 

 and then, besides, you can boil 'em, or fry 'em, or 

 do anything you like with 'em ; whilst you may 

 make " tembo " or native beer out of the nice 

 yellow sweet ones that you and I eat. So these 

 simple folk can lead a quiet life, or go " on the 

 bust " as they feel disposed ! 



The sweet potato very often grows underneath 

 the bananas, and is, together with these latter, 

 the common food for porters in this part of the 

 world. The sweet potato is an excellent thing 

 for keeping land clear of weeds. Some people 

 grow a little Indian corn as well, but it is not so 

 often seen. 



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