NATIVE BEER. 143 



green foliage and pink blossoms, the flowers of 

 the male tree being very different from those 

 of the female. It is evidently allied to the 

 " Kafir plum " tree growing in Natal, which has 

 white flowers and reddish fruit ; the native name 

 is aucania. 



When this fruit is ripe the women collect 

 and pile it in heaps under the large trees in 

 the kraal ; they then assemble, and after picking 

 out the large stones with a pointed stick, squeeze 

 the juice (often with very dirty fingers) into 

 large pots of water, the mixture being allowed 

 to stand and ferment for three days, when it 

 is ready for use. Many drink it up after it 

 has only fermented one day. When the beer 

 is considered ready the Kafirs from the neigh- 

 bouring kraals drop in for an evening's festivity 

 of beer-drinking, singing, and dancing, drinking 

 enormous bowls of beer before it has the desired 

 intoxicating effect, the merry-makings lasting 

 far into the night. These meetings go the 

 round of the kraals before the cheluana season 

 is over. 



