138 DEL AGO A BAY. 



the site chosen being generally near some large 

 trees for the sake of their shade. 



The women, too, whilst engaged in their 

 various occupations are picturesque-looking, their 

 costume of gaily-coloured handkerchiefs giving 

 the necessary bits of colour to the scene. Some 

 are always busy at the task of pounding mealies 

 for the daily supply in the great wooden mortars 

 used for the purpose, two or three women often 

 standing round one mortar and taking it in 

 turn to bring down the heavy pestle, and of 

 course singing or whistling in time over their 

 work. Others will be engaged in tossing up the 

 pounded mealies in an open flat basket, to clear 

 off any remains of husk ; these are always sur- 

 rounded by the fowls, anxiously hoping a little 

 of the meal may be spilled. Others will be 

 busily washing out the cooking pots and pans, 

 generally standing to do so, and always stooping 

 from the hips, never bending the knees, which 

 seems so much more natural, while others again 

 are superintending the cooking over the open- 

 air gipsy fires. 



