54 WAGNER and TREVOR 



with lenten fare of the most inferior quality. In the native terri- 

 tories it is generally possible to obtain far more in the way of the 

 foodstuffs from kraals and villages than in the more civilised areas. 



With regard to the selection of supplies, every man should suit 

 his own tastes, but it must be remembered that in camp life most 

 men get an inordinate craving for -jams, preserved fruit and 

 sugar. The ration allowance of these should be very much in- 

 creased over the proportion in ordinary life. A large supply of 

 dried fruit and prunes should also be taken as vegetables are, as 

 a rule, only rarely obtainable. A very valuable substitute for ordi- 

 nary tinned butter which is never very satisfactory is furnished by 

 pea-nut butter which is now manufactured on a large scale in South 

 Africa and can be purchased in all large towns. It is put up in 

 tins and jars and lasts indefinitely. In addition to being agreeable 

 to the palate it is a very valuable food, rich in fats and vitamines. 

 Peanut butter can also be used for frying and cooking in place of 

 ordinary fat. 



Certain articles such as sugar, salt, matches, soap etc., are con- 

 veniently used as articles of petty barter, and service can usually 

 be obtained for these from natives who refuse cash. 



As regards the arrangement of food supplies a "messbox" should 

 be provided in which all the articles of food in use can be kept, 

 so that it is only necessary to draw on main supplies once a week or so. 



A plentiful supply of small canvas bags and one or two large 

 biscuit tins should also be taken in which to carry foodstuffs on 

 minor expeditions. 



Small covers made of mosquito netting with heavy beads sewn 

 along the edges are invaluable for keeping flies out of milk and 

 food. They should be regularly washed. 



Bread Baking. For bread baking the three-legged "Boer" pot, 

 previously referred to, can most strongly be recommended. The 

 baking process is very simple and may be briefly described as follows. 



The dough, thoroughly kneeded with yeast, is put into the pot, 

 the inside of which has been smeared with dripping, and allowed 

 to rise. When it has risen a wood fire is lit, hard heavy wood 

 yielding good embers being the most suitable. When the fire has 

 burned low a large shovelful of the embers is taken out and the 

 remainder smoothed down. The pot is stood on the smoothed-down 

 embers and those in the shovel are spread out on its flat lid. After 

 a short interval the familiar smell of slightly burnt bread heralds 

 the completion of the operation, when the pot is lifted off the 

 embers and allowed to cool, the embers on the lid being swept off. 



