154 THE LAND OF THE LION 



Our guide, of course, carried the usual umbrella. We 

 had left the boma, and he, on the strength of two rupees* 

 advance, treated himself to some tea. It was a tiny pack- 

 age only, and was wrapped in many wrappings of dis- 

 carded newspaper. It was the wet season, and there was 

 a daily downpour, so he carefully tied the precious pack- 

 age to the point of his umbrella, outside. 



I made constant and quite useless efforts to restrain the 

 men's gluttony. My best porters seldom or never overate 

 themselves. But some of the biggest and strongest were 

 not to be denied. 



The Kavorondo, who live near the lake, signalized 

 themselves in the eating line. I had two immense fellows, 

 who, on one occasion, ate three days' potio, i. e., four and a 

 half pounds of good mealie meal and a great mass of fresh 

 zebra meat (I couldn't weigh it, but it was certainly several 

 pounds), at one prolonged sitting. They began in the morn- 

 ing and kept up the boiling and roasting well into the night. 

 Both, of course, were ill next day, as they said * 'their stomachs 

 were boiling." They could not go out, as the headman 

 ordered, to fetch wood. I was inclined to be merciful, 

 when David came up and told me the extraordinary story. 

 I promptly ordered them a strong dose of Epsom salts, 

 and saw them drink it with many protestations. But it was 

 all no use, they came back in the evening to say they were 

 out of potio, and wanted more. So David took them for 

 the next two days good naturedly into his own mess, and they 

 kept comparatively Lenten fast with him. After my lecture, 

 as they turned away, I asked John what they said. ; 'The 

 bwana does not know much about eating any two men 

 in our village will eat a whole sheep before they get up." 



These Kavorondo were steady, frugal fellows in their 

 own way. I discharged them at Lundiani, after they had 

 worked well for four months. I saw them roll up their 

 mats, take their little savings, and start on foot for their 



