233 



roasted. The natives also collect the ripe seeds of various species 

 of Acacia, first roast, and then ojrind them with water upon stones 

 to a kind of paste, which they at once eat. Of these seeds they 

 might at times collect large quantities and store them, the bushes 

 bearing most profusely, but it never occurs to them to do this. 

 Ntanga are seeds of various grasses and herbs which are collected 

 ])y them in their trough-like basins, then ground down with water 

 into a paste, and poured into hot ashes and baked. This is their 

 egaJla — i.e., bread. Unfortunately, they have it only rarely, and 

 but little at a time. A few kinds of herbs, inclusive of wild cress, 

 they pick and stew green in the following way : — First, they 

 light a large fire on the sand, remove this, and scrape the hot 

 sand aside, so that a shallow depression is formed. Into this they 

 place flat stones, spread the moistened cress upon them, and cover 

 it over with other flat stones. The heated sand is heaped over 

 the lot. After a while this is carefully swej^t aside, and the cress 

 or other herb is found to be nicely stewed ; it tastes best of all 

 their mana. When nothing else is to be had, the roots of various 

 grasses and shrubs are collected, as, for example, those of the 

 common reeds, kc. These are roasted and pounded with stones 

 to soften them somewliat and make them less fibrous. They are 

 swallowed in pieces, for chewing has no effect, as they remain 

 wood-like. A real "bread of misery." The young roots of the 

 reed are the best, but they do not long remain fresh. Sometimes 

 after rain pea-like bulbs are found in large numbers, which have 

 a nice, nut-like taste. These bulbs are partly eaten raw, and 

 partly roasted. 



4. Unkuala, sweetmeats. These comprise honey, the nectar 

 of flowers, and the exudations of several trees and shrubs (resin, 

 gum), and even one species of ant. There are two kinds of bees 

 here, viz., a dark-colored one, which builds in hollow trees, and 

 a light-colored, greenish sj^ecies, that nests in the ground. The 

 former sting a little, the latter not at all. The getting of the 

 honey is a privilege of the men. With their stone axes (now 

 they use tomahawks) they cut a hole down to the honey. While 

 eating the honey, a few wings, legs, or even entire bees may be 

 swallowed in their greedy haste. After rains in spring the 

 blossoms of some plants are so full of nectar that it drops out, 

 especially from those of GreviUea juncifoJia. The natives collect 

 such flowers in their basins, pour water upon them, knead well, 

 and then drink the water, or else they put a handful of flowers 

 in the mouth and suck the nectar, wholly indifferent to the ver- 

 min infesting them. The exudations of slu'ubs and trees from 

 trunk and leaves serve as bonbons for the natives. The ants men- 

 tioned are as large as peas, clear as glass, pale-colored, and viscid.* 



* Doubtlessly the honey-secreting individuals of Campotroim-s injiatvs, 

 2[elophorus Bat/of i, Lubbock, or undescribed species. — [Ed.] 



