1 72 DEL AGO A BAY. 



for they are the favourite food of some very 

 pretty caterpillars which mine their way through 

 the thick succulent leaves, till only a very thin 

 membrane remains. When they have finished 

 the leaves they proceed to demolish the seed- 

 pods, which are almost as showy as the flowers, 

 each one growing to the size of a large apple, 

 and when ripe turning a bright crimson. They 

 contain many seeds about the size of a large 

 marble, lying in a soft flannel-like substance, 

 which soon begin to sprout. 



A milky juice oozes out of the bulb when 

 it is pricked, which the natives use to kill 

 unwelcome little insects in their wool. I believe 

 this to be true, because several have told me 

 so at different times ; but as a rule the Kafirs 

 try to keep all knowledge of their various 

 medicine plants a profound secret from the 

 white man. They don't mind saying some 

 are used as "mooti," physic, but when you 

 ask them what disease it is good for and 

 how applied, they usually begin to prevaricate; 

 often, if pressed for an answer, they say "It is 



