DISCOVERY OF THE VICTORIA N'YAXZA. 95 



that I should have had to pass through his enemies' 

 hands to the other brother, and such a course usually 

 excites suspicion ; but, by the usual custom of the 

 country, Kurua should have been treated by him only 

 as a rebellious subject, for though all three brothers 

 were by different mothers, they are considered in line 

 of succession as ours are, when legitimately begotten 

 by one mother. Some time ago the eldest brother 

 made a tool of an Arab trader, and with that force on 

 his side threatened these two brothers with immediate 

 destruction unless they resigned to him the entire 

 government, and his rights as senior. They admitted 

 in his presence the justness of his words and the folly 

 of waging war, as such a measure could only bring 

 destruction on all alike ; but on his departure they 

 carried on their rule as before. Bombay, talking 

 figuratively with me, considers Kurua's stopping me 

 something like the use the monkey turned the cat's 

 paw to ; that is, he stopped me simply to enhance his 

 dignity, and gain the minds of the people by leading 

 them to suppose I saw justice in his actions. Pombe- 

 brewing, the chief occupation of the women, is as 

 regular here as the revolution of day and night, and 

 the drinking of it just as constant. It is made of 

 bajeri and jowari (common millets), and is at first 

 prepared by malting in the same way as we do barley ; 

 then they range a double street of sticks, usually in 

 the middle of the village, fill a number of pots with 

 these grains mixed in water, which they place in con- 



