220 THROUGH ANGOLA 



only employed as an ointment. Almost every 

 living thing is game and food to the native ; even 

 such unsavoury animals as crocodiles, lizards, 

 frogs, caterpillars, white ants, and locusts, are 

 eagerly eaten. Field rats and mice are a special 

 delicacy. 



A most curious custom in Angola is that of 

 the " lent rat," mentioned by Monteiro when he 

 travelled in Angola over sixty years ago : though 

 I was unable to conform the statement, it is 

 almost certainly true, as Monteiro was a most 

 careful and accurate observer. He states, speaking 

 of the natives in the district of Novo Redondo. 

 that " When a relative or other person visits them, 

 infundi or pirao is prepared, and should there not 

 be a bit of meat or fish in the larder they send 

 to a neighbour for the ' lent rat,' as it is called. 

 This is a field rat roasted on a skewer, and it is 

 presented to the guest, who, holding the skewer 

 in his left hand, dabs bits of the infundi on the 

 rat before he swallows them, as if to give them a 

 flavour, but he is very careful not to eat the rat 

 or even the smallest particle of it, as this would 

 be considered a great crime and offence, and would 

 be severely punished by their laws." Monteiro 

 comments on the unusual nature of such sham 

 politeness and snobbishness among savages. 



Of musical instruments in Angola, the most 

 popular is the drum, because it makes the loudest 

 noise, and the African drum, perhaps for that 

 reason, is usually larger than our own. One form 

 of drum, made like a narrow wooden box (see 

 Plate), is used for signalling : there is a definite 



