272 -‘TIMEHRI. 
had never yet been called upon to taste this, and had no 
suspicion of its being very different from the ordinary. 
kind. But, having heroically gulped down this most 
precious black fluid, I was nearly shocked out of exis- 
tence by its quite indescribably awful bitterness. Whether 
it is a personal idiosyncracy or not I do not know, but 
the taste of bitterness in any considerable degree is as. 
nearly absolutely unbearable as possible. For instance, 
though I can take quinine, if its taste is obscured, with 
excellent effe€t in quantities metaphorically to make the 
hairs of medical men of no tropical experience stand on. 
end, the unconcealed taste of the same drug is quite un- 
endurable to me. But the bitterness of this black 
paiwari, totally unexpected as it was, was to the bitter- 
ness of quinine as far removed as heaven is 7s 
supposed to be from hell. 
So really overcome was I that I not unwillingly 
acceeded to the request, in which both my own people 
and those of the settlement joined, that I would stay at 
Quonga till the next morning, in order that the combined 
parties might have an opportunity of indulging in an 
impromptu feast and consuming the large quantities of 
paiwari which happened to be in the place. To stumble 
on a place where a paiwari feast is going on, or can be, 
as here, immediately got up, is generally a misfortune to 
one travelling as I then was, For though the liquor 
is only slightly fermented it is consumed in such quan- 
tities that it stupifies the drinkers; and, when these 
happen to be one’s carriers, makes them for a day or’ 
more incapable of doing their work. But I had passed. 
the stage of caring much about possible delay, and gladly 
closed with any suggestion which would afford me rest. 
