278 THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 



the country with a green mantle ten feet high. The 

 paths ran like narrow lanes through this rank growth. 

 Although at one time forested there were now no trees, 

 with the exception of solitary specimens perched here and 

 there on commanding heights. Cuninghame says these 

 have been spared because they are considered sacred. 

 At many of the villages the natives were making 

 tembo* 



A log with many shallow holes connected by channels 

 and a hard rounded stick as pestle was the whole appa- 

 ratus. A string of women brought up loads of the 

 sugar cane. Others hacked off the outer covering and 

 shredded the pulp. A third lot pounded out the juice. 

 After it should have fermented to a certain point it 

 would be drawn off in gourds. Then the village drunk! 



Our guide, becoming a trifle uncertain, called in from 

 time to time the assistance of others. They dropped 

 whatever they were doing, and quite cheerfully walked 

 an hour or so over these ungodly hills, and then said 

 farewell. All this without reward of any kind. It 

 rained heavily from time to time, and we became well 

 soaked through. In addition the downpour made the 

 clay of the hills very slippery. As a consequence it 

 was not until about three o 'clock that we burst out of 

 this vine country to a little open space. Here abruptly 

 began the forest. 



Near the edge of the forest stood silently a dozen 



* Native beer. 



