200 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



minutes only were necessary to bring it to a boil. 

 Then we would fish about in the pot with a fork 

 until we had captured the well-done bodies of 

 several rats or mice and three or four birds 

 varying in size from half a mouthful to three 

 mouthfuls and begin our meal. The mice 

 and birds were the first to be exterminated, for 

 they were tender, juicy, and sweet, and, while 

 the variety of species might have caused a vari- 

 ety of flavours, there was not enough difference 

 to leave an impression that can now be ex- 

 plained. Doctor Mearns always declared with 

 emphasis, that our "witches' pot" was the best 

 eating he had on the whole trip. 



Since eating fried monkey, I have never 

 been able to look a new baby square in the 

 face, and it is with a feeling of dread that I 

 accept an invitation from a friend to call and 

 pass judgment upon the latest addition to his 

 family. 



Although there was plenty of monkey meat 

 to go around in fact, there was "some left 

 over" I didn't eat much because my stupid 

 Swahili tent boy who cooked it had thought- 

 lessly failed to include some sort of strong dis- 

 infectant among his seasonings. 



