76 DEL AGO A BAY. 



is a great day with them for dressing up and 

 visiting their friends. 



The rum sold to the Kafirs is a strong fiery 

 spirit, even after the copious dilutions of water 

 it receives before reaching them. They tell you 

 candidly they like their drink strong " strong 

 enough to make them dance and sing." One 

 woman told me she had a " good head," and 

 could drink four wine-glassfuls without feel- 

 ing it ! 



There are numerous canteens kept by small 

 traders, and besides these there are innumerable 

 native huts where rum is sold, distinguished by 

 having a coloured rag tied to a long stick stuck 

 in the roof to serve as a flag and the supply 

 is always equal to the demand. 



I cannot help thinking that the white man is 

 very much to blame for immediately introducing 

 strong drinks wherever he colonises ; but the 

 merchants laugh when I express this opinion, 

 and say it is good for trade. It seems shocking 

 to me to see ship after ship arrive with rum 

 forming the principal cargo. In 1884 nearly 



