HOMEWARD BOUND 289 



and when the end of the supply is reached a hole 

 is made in the floor to drain off the remainder. 

 Enough is stored to feed the people from harvest to 

 harvest. 



As we walked along the ledge we noticed cakes of 

 dung drying for fuel ; and we passed dyeing pits that 

 exhaled nauseous manure -like fumes — for black dye 

 is got from dung. Near by were some great boulders 

 that stood by the edge of the cliff, ready, in case of 

 emergency, to be shoved down upon assailants, should 

 they attempt to storm the place. The precaution 

 seemed unnecessary, for the cliff was sheer, but the 

 chief told us that ascent there is possible, and that 

 each inhabitant of Lewe when he reaches manhood 

 must climb down that rock — for, until he has done 

 so, he has none of the privileges of citizenship, and 

 is not allowed to marry. They all drink pito — the 

 native spirit — together, before the dangerous attempt 

 is made. The bachelors have an undesirable time 

 altogether, and must long to have their manhood 

 proved, for they live in piccans' houses, clustered 

 together, apart from the other residents, and the 

 entrance to these huts, on which they are depen- 

 dent both for light and air, is no bigger than 

 that of a dog's kennel. They are so absurdly small 

 that when two of our boys tried to crawl in only 

 one succeeded. He had got in legs first, but the 

 floor was lower than the doorway, and he could not 

 get out again. The only way to release him was to 

 take the roof off, but this was a serious measure, 

 and we decided to leave him to his fate. Some 

 time later he succeeded in emerging, his struggles 

 having at last been effectual. 



T 



