154 THE LAND OF THE LION 
Our guide, of course, carried the usual umbrella. We 
had left the boma, and he, on the strength of two rupees’ 
advance, treated himself to some tea. It was a tiny pack- 
age only, and was wrapped in many wrappings of dis- 
carded newspaper. It was the wet season, and there was 
a daily downpour, so he carefully tied the precious pack- 
age to the point of his umbrella, outside. 
I made constant and quite useless efforts to restrain the 
men’s gluttony. My best porters seldom or never overate 
themselves. But some of the biggest and strongest were 
not to be denied. 
The Kavorondo, who live near the lake, signalized 
themselves in the eating line. I had two immense fellows, 
who, on one occasion, ate three days’ potio, 1. e., four anda 
half pounds of good mealie meal and a great mass of fresh 
zebra meat (I couldn’t weigh it, but it was certainly several 
pounds), at one prolonged sitting. ‘They began in the morn- 
ing and kept up the boiling and roasting well into the night. 
Both, of course, were ill next day, as they said “‘their stomachs 
were boiling.” They could not go out, as the headman 
ordered, to fetch wood. I was inclined to be merciful, 
when David came up and told me the extraordinary story. 
I promptly ordered them a strong dose of Epsom salts, 
and saw them drink it with many protestations. But it was 
all no use, they came back in the evening to say they were 
out of potio, and wanted more. So David took them for 
the next two days good naturedly into his own mess, and they 
kept comparatively Lenten fast withhim. After my lecture, 
as they turned away, I asked John what they said. ‘“‘The 
bwana does not know much about eating — any two men 
in our village will eat a whole sheep before they get up.” 
These Kavorondo were steady, frugal fellows in their 
own way. I discharged them at Lundiani, after they had 
worked well for four months. I saw them roll up their 
_ mats, take their little savings, and start on foot for their 
