Chap. XXXI. LIBERALITY OF COMMANDANT. 639 



All the cultivation is carried on with hoes in the native manner, 

 and considerable quantities of Holcus sorghum, maize, Pennisetum 

 typJwideum, or lotsa of the Balonda, millet, rice, and wheat, are 

 raised, as also several kinds of beans — one of winch, called " litloo " 

 by the Bechuanas, yields under-ground, as well as the Arachis 

 hypogcea, or ground-nut ; with cucumbers, pumpkins, and melons. 

 The wheat is sown in low-lying places which are annually flooded by 

 the Zambesi. When the waters retire, the women drop a few grains 

 in a hole made with a hoe, then push back the soil with the foot. 

 One weeding alone is required before the grain comes to maturity. 

 This simple process represents all our subsoil-ploughing, liming, 

 manuring, and harrowing, for in four months after planting, a good 

 crop is ready for the sickle, and has been known to yield a hun- 

 dred-fold. It nourished still more at Zumbo. No irrigation is 

 required, because here there are gentle rains, almost like mist, in 

 winter, which go by the name of " wheat-showers," and are un- 

 known in the interior, where no winter rain ever falls. The 

 rains at Tete come from the east, though the prevailing winds 

 come from the S.S.E. The finest portion of the flour does not 

 make bread nearly so white as the seconds, and here the boyaloa 

 (pombe), or native beer, is employed to mix with the flour instead 

 of yeast. It makes excellent bread. At Kilimane, where the 

 cocoa-nut palm abounds, the toddy from it, called " sura," is used 

 for the same purpose, and makes the bread still lighter. 



As it was necessary to leave most of my men at this place, 

 Major Sicard gave them a portion of land on which to cultivate 

 their own food, generously supplying them with corn in the mean 

 time. He also said that my young men might go and hunt 

 elephants in company with his servants, and purchase goods with 

 both the ivory and dried meat, in order that they might have 

 something to take with them on their return to Sekeletu. The 

 men were delighted with his liberality, and soon sixty or seventy 

 of them set off to engage in this enterprise. There was no 

 calico to be had at this time in Tete, but the Commandant hand- 

 somely furnished my men with clothing. I was in a state of 

 want myself, and, though I pressed him to take payment in 

 ivory for both myself and men, he refused all recompence. I 

 shall ever remember his kindness with deep gratitude. He 

 has written me, since my arrival in England, that my men had 



