AFRICAN IRON. 595 



The only other metal, besides gold, we have in abundance in 

 this region, is iron, and that is of excellent quality. In some 

 places it is obtained from what is called the specular iron ore, 

 and also from black oxide. The latter has been well roasted 

 in the operations of nature, and contains a large proportion of 

 the metal. It occurs generally in tears or rounded lumps, and is 

 but slightly magnetic. When found in the beds of rivers, the 

 natives know of its existence by the quantity of oxide on the sur- 

 face, and they find no difficulty in digging it with pointed sticks. 

 They consider English iron as "rotten;" and I have seen, when 

 a javelin of their own iron lighted on the cranium of a hippopot- 

 amus, it curled up like the proboscis of a butterfly, and the 

 owner would prepare it for future use by straightening it cold 

 with two stones. I brought home some of the hoes which Seke- 

 letu gave me to purchase a canoe, also some others obtained in 

 Kilimane, and they have been found of such good quality that 



melancantha of "Western Africa, as it is used to expel rats and serpents there. 

 Mussonzoa dyes cloth black. Mussio : the beans of this also dye black. Kangome, 

 with flowers and fruit like Mocha coffee ; the leaves are much like those of the 

 sloe, and the seeds are used as coffee or eaten as beans. Kanembe-embe : the 

 pounded leaves used as an extemporaneous glue for mending broken vessels. Ka- 

 tunguru is used for killing fish. Mutavea Nyerere : an active caustic. Mudiacoro : 

 also an external caustic, and used internally. Kapande : another ordeal plant, but 

 used to produce diaphoresis. Karumgasura : also diaphoretic. Munyazi yields an 

 oil, and is one of the ingredients for curing the wounds of poisoned arrows. Uom- 

 bue : a large root employed in killing fish. Kakumate : used in intermittents. 

 Musheteko : applied to ulcers, and the infusion also internally in amenorrhcea. 

 Inyakanyauya : this is seen in small, dark-colored, crooked roots of pleasant aro- 

 matic smell and slightly bitter taste, and is highly extolled in the treatment of 

 fever ; it is found in Manica. Eskinencia : used in croup and sore-throat. Itaca 

 or Itaka : for diaphoresis in fever ; this root is brought as an article of barter by 

 the Arabs to Kilimane ; the natives purchase it eagerly. Mukundukundu : a de- 

 coction used as a febrifuge in the same way as quinine ; it grows plentifully at 

 Shupanga, and the wood is used as masts for launches. I may here add the re- 

 cipe of Brother Pedro of Zumbo for the cure of poisoned wounds, in order to show 

 the similarity of practice among the natives of the Zambesi, from whom, in all 

 probability, he acquired his knowledge, and the Bushmen of the Kalahari. It con- 

 sists of equal parts of the roots of the Calumba, Musheteko, Abutua, Batatinya, Pa- 

 regekanto, Itaka, or Kapande, put into a bottle and covered with common castor- 

 oil. As I have before observed, I believe the oily ingredient is the effectual one, 

 and ought to be tried by any one who has the misfortune to get wounded by a 

 Bushman's or Banyai arrow. 



