2 8o ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



Lepalie is the name given to a honey found in the 

 hollows of trees and gathered by a fly a little larger 

 than the ordinary house-fly. Another fly, called 

 lependura, and almost identical with the ordinary 

 house-fly, secretes a deliciously-flavoured honey in 

 the earth. 



The tuberous roots of a forest creeper, called 

 hanguy, are used by the natives when short of other 

 kinds of food, but a lengthy process of preparation, 

 resembling that used in the manufacture of tapioca, 

 is necessary before they are edible. After boiling 

 for about two hours, the tubers are peeled and 

 sliced, and the slices are then boiled for about eight 

 hours, after which they are dried in the sun and 

 ground to a flour. Hanguy roots are very poisonous, 

 and unless the poison is thoroughly extracted, death 

 usually supervenes about two hours after the 

 unfortunate consumer has partaken of them, the 

 patient losing his power of speech and behaving as 

 if he had been bitten by a snake. 



Acca is the name given by the natives to a small, 

 green shrub, which grows about a foot in height, 

 and bears a pale green fruit of a pleasant, sweetish 

 taste. The fruit is boiled and skinned. The 

 remaining kernels are then allowed to simmer from 

 eight to ten hours, and are afterwards dried in the 

 sun, but preparatory to consumption, they must be 

 boiled again for another hour, in order to soften 



