PALM WINE. 145 



of laughter as each skinful seemed to rouse the 

 drunken man for a moment, who staggered along, 

 pulling after him the large stone, until he had 

 completed the circuit of the camp, when he was 

 allowed to lie down in quiet, and, covered with 

 mats piled high above him, was left to recover from 

 his debauch. 



Palm wine is a very thin, light liquor, tasting like 

 excellent ginger-beer, and, like it, effervescing every 

 time the bag which contains it is opened. I always 

 could drink three or four pints a-day, and Ohmed 

 Mahomed would frequently steal into my hut, and 

 help me in finishing my large leathern bottle, which 

 a skin bag may certainly be called. 



One afternoon I more attentively observed a very 

 active game, in which the Dankalli appear to take 

 great delight. It is played with a hard, elastic ball, 

 and seemed to require more bodily exertion than our 

 game at cricket. The players divest themselves 

 of their tobes and knives, securing their fotah 

 around the body by simply tucking the ends under 

 a fold of the upper edge. One of them then takes 

 the ball, which he strikes against the ground, and 

 after two or three preliminary bounds with it high 

 into the air, he tries to catch it as it falls on the 

 back of his hand, then rolling it into his palm, he 

 strikes it with force a second time on to the ground, 

 and again tries to catch it while falling from the 

 rebound. At this moment the other players rush 

 towards the ball, and attempt to keep it bounding 



VOL. I. L 



