- os 
270 TIMEHRI. * 
adapted by long praétice. As has been said, any Euro= 
pean. of average physique should be able to surpass. 
a Redman in mere walking; but when the continuous 
carriage of weight is in question, or sudden but short — 
strenuous calls on the muscles, the superiority is markedly, 
the other way. When [ at last reached the village in ques~ 
tion, called Quonga, I was too weary even to much regreg — 
that there was not a drop of water there to quench my 
terrific thirst ; but two or three lads of my company, who; 
had climbed up the same heights, and had so climbed 
heavily laden, did not even wait to be asked but ran. 
merrily down and up, bringing me calabashes of water. ; 
Meantime the ordinary reception was going on, Some, 
cassava bread and pepper-pot, the latter consisting, as, 
usual, of little but red peppers (capsicums) boiled down, 
had been placed on the ground, and my men were eagerly; 
breaking off pieces of the bread, dipping these in the, 
concentrated essence of meat which filled the pot, and. 
eating them. I also had to eat a morsel or two for, 
form’s sake. Atige 
This hospitality of the pepper-pot is for me always: 
associated with the memory of an absurd incident in a 
previous journey into these parts. The pepper-pot had 
been produced, and had been enjoyed by us all. more 
than usual—for it was the best mess of its kind that I 
ever tasted, and I had withdrawn a short distance from 
the others into a patch of shade, to smoke a meditative 
pipe. Presently I noticed a consultation going on over 
the pepper-pot between the white men who were with 
me on that occasion and our Redmen. There was a 
comical look of disgust on all their faces ; and presently, 
in more than one case, this expression of disgust deepened 
me 7 SAND fee aes ry ad a pees sale itl Shen paid tt. 
A. ert 
7 : 
