140 ACROSS AFRICA. [Chap. 



December, allow the reptile — a boa about ten feet long — to be injured, 

 1873. ^\JY^l contented themselves with quietly turning it out of the 

 village with long sticks. I asked the reason of this gentle 

 treatment, and was told that it was a "peppo" (a spirit or 

 ghost), and, if injured, some disaster would befall the village 

 or its inhabitants. 



During my long stay I had also many opportunities of ob- 

 serving the customs of the people. Every morning, as soon 

 as it was light, they came out of their huts, and sat round fires 

 smoking their matutinal 'baccy. This finished, all, excepting 

 old women and young children, the chief and two or three 

 elders, sallied forth to work in the plantations. Those whose 

 fields were close to the village returned at noon to eat ugali or 

 porridge ; while others, who worked farther away, cooked and 

 eat their midday meal at the scene of their labors. Shortly be- 

 fore sunset they returned, and in the evening there were dan- 

 cing, smoking, and singing, and drinking too, when corn for 

 making pombe is plentiful. Drums are brought out and beat- 

 en vigorously by the hands, while men go circling round and 

 round for hours at a time, yelling and shouting. 



The women never mingle with the men on these occasions, 

 but sometimes engage in a dance by themselves, when the gest- 

 ures and actions are often even more immoral and indecent 

 than those of the men ; though they are bad enough, in all con- 

 science. Neither men nor women have any objection to be 

 gazed on by the opposite sex while going through these antics ; 

 but, as in most other tribes, they never mix or dance together. 



The huts in which they live are usually built of stout j)osts 

 planted in the ground, and the interstices filled with clay. The 

 roof is flat, with a slight slope to the front, and the rafters are 

 covered either with sheets of bark, or with bushes and grass, 

 over which is spread a thick coating of earth. 



Sweet-potatoes cut in slices, pumpkins, and gourds, are often 

 laid on the roofs to dry for the winter provisions. In the in- 

 terior of these huts there are generally two, and sometimes 

 three, divisions. 



The first contains small bed-places covered with hides, and 

 here also is the universal African fire-place, consisting of the 

 three cones of clay, which, in a few instances, are hollow, and 



