CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NAR!?ATIVE. 183 



the blood, the juice of a plant is applied as a styptic, and 

 the deeper the cut is, the more raised is the cicatrice. 



When the natives first saw the new moon, they hailed it as 

 the precursor of the showisrs of rain which they expect soon 

 after its close (that is to say, when the sun is on the equa- 

 tor) : they then begin to sovv their Indian corn and ground 

 nuts. The heavy rains do not set in for six weeks later. 

 The river begins to rise a month before the rains, that is im- 

 mediately after the season of showers has set in. I find it 

 useless to attempt talking about business until the palaver 

 is finished ; that is to say, until the palm wine they have 

 brought, and the brandy they expect to receive, are all 

 expended, by which time they are usually half drunk, and 

 their inclination to palaver, to lie, to chicane, seems to 

 encrease in proportion to the quantity they may have, 

 swallowed. 



This mornins; I received a visit from a Foomoo with a 

 large calabash of palm wine, who, after sharing it out 

 among his own people, expected I would, in return of the 

 compliment, give him a jar of brandy ; but as his sole 

 business seemed to be curiosity, and I had little brandy 

 left, I did not choose to comply ; and in order to prevent 

 further solicitation, I told him Ihad none, with which, though 

 much discontented, he was obhged to be satisfied. At 

 noon I returned to Inga. 



