Native Grains and Livestock. 247 



tell what they had seen in the old slave-trading days, 

 "they could many a tale unfold." Many is the poor 

 miserable wretch, tired to death with marching with the 

 u kori stick" bound to his neck, who must have died 

 within sight of this fine plantation. A cool stream 

 meanders through the valley, and it is a welcome spot 

 to reach after passing through the stony and scorched 

 country which lies between here and Tete. 



From August to December this is one of the hottest 

 places I have seen in Africa ; the heat is often so great 

 that the natives in the stonier parts find it difficult to walk, 

 as the rocks and stones will burn one's hand if they are 

 touched, and hard though the natives' feet are they get 

 blistered and burnt. If there happens to be a good moon, 

 the best thing is to march by night, although night marching 

 is most tiring, as it is impossible in the more shaded parts 

 of the path to see holes, stumps, and rocks, and many a 

 grunt will be heard from the carriers, who give their bare 

 feet nasty jars and cuts. But, as I have said, the natives are 

 most patient and long-suffering when engaged on rough 

 travel, and one cannot help admiring their fine qualities in 

 that way. 



Besides the grains and sweet potatoes which they grow, 

 the natives have a certain amount of livestock, such as 

 sheep, goats, pigs, pigeons, ducks, and fowls, and a few of 

 the chiefs keep cattle. 



A bird like a fowl is no meal for a native, as he could 

 easily eat five or six at a sitting without feeling uncomfort- 

 able, but it affords a relish, what they term " ndeo," 

 pronounced indeo, to their usual dish of ufa porridge. 

 They gather various wild plants and eat wild mushrooms 

 of different kinds, and sometimes they grow chillies for a 

 seasoning. One of their favourite seasonings is the 

 ground-nut, and they grow large quantities of them, and, 

 of course, the pumpkin is commonly grown all over the 

 country^ 



Cucumbers of a coarse variety, are also grown and eaten 

 uncooked, as we eat them with our salmon and salads at 



