88 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
on the Zambesi, alludes to their elaborate ornamentation. The Cala- 
bash tree is now common in the West Indies, and generally to be seen 
about the negro villages. Its large, hard, and durable gourd-like fruit, 
when ripe and dry, is an essential to the black housewife, being used 
for all kinds of utensils ; and when young and soft, it makes an excel- 
lent pickle. : 
The finish and quality of the knives and spears which are on the 
table show that the fabricators were no mean adepts in iron work. I 
think it was Dr. Livingstone who, in 1864, first pointed out that the 
nation of Africa may, at this period, be considered to be in their 
‘Tron age.’ He found the ‘‘ Manganja people,’’ who inhabit the 
country watered by the River Shiré, which flows into Lake Niassa, to 
be great workers in iron, extracting the metal from its ores and manu- 
facturing it into excellent hoes, knives, spear heads, bracelets, &c., 
and some of these, as well as forges, &c., were figured by him. 
Captain Burton, in 1863, described the Fans, who inhabit the 
interior of the South-west coast, as ‘‘ cunning workers in iron, which 
is their wealth ;” and he mentions their spears ‘‘ of cruel and fantastic 
shape,”’ and curious lotus-shaped knives, ‘‘with blades as broad as they 
are long, ‘‘as is the fashion of the Mpongwe.”’ Other travellers in 
Africa have found iron-workers in other parts; and Captain Cameron, 
in a Paper on ‘‘ The Anthropology of Africa,” read before the Anthro- 
pological Institute, in 1877, gives a very interesting account of the 
iron-working which he saw. 
The knife, marked 27, is a double-edged chopping-knife, in its 
wooden sheath ; the blunt square apex is curious, and its breadth and 
lotus-like shape bear out Capt. Burton’s remarks quoted above. 
The weapon marked 28, like the foregoing, is of the Mpongwe tribe 
and of the Fans iron. A very similar one is figured by Du Chaillu 
as a ‘‘war knife used by the Fans,” in his work on Equatorial 
Africa. The shape is graceful, and would, no doubt, prove a service- 
able weapon in a hand-to-hand fight. The barbs, wound round with 
brass wire, are probably intended for ornament. The two iron imper- 
fect circles are said by Dr. Allan to be necklets, and to be also belong- 
ing to the Mpongwe tribe. 
The spears are of the Combé tribe, and come from Bata; they are 
well balanced for throwing. Du Chaillu figures several Fan spears, 
which are very similar to these; and he says that the accuracy of aim 
and force with which the natives cast them is surprising. The small 
barbs, which are just behind the blade in the longer of the two, are 
probably for use as well as ornament—in case the latter should snap 
off, to keep the shaft sticking in the flesh. 
The harpoon is also of African iron, and is from the Congo river. 
The negroes of this part are great fishermen, and are clever with the 
harpoon, which they use for turtle and large fish, as well as for 
whales, when they get the chance. 
The little basket is of the Cabenda tribe, and is a pretty little 
example of such work. 
The grass mat is from the Gaboon. Itisarather coarse example 
