Chai\ yii. the ife-plant. 1G7 



around the eye to the English, or chief of the travellers, 

 and different parts to the headmen of the different fires, 

 or groups, of which the camp is composed; not forgetting 

 to enjoin the preservation of the fat and bowels for a second 

 distribution. This oration finished, the natives soon become 

 excited, and scream wildly as they cut away at the carcass 

 with a score of spears, whose long handles quiver in the' 

 air above their heads. Their excitement becomes momen- 

 tarily more and more intense, and reaches the culminating 

 point when, as denoted by a roar of gas, the huge mass is 

 laid fairly open. Some jump inside, and roll about there in 

 then eagerness to seize the precious fat, while others run off, 

 screaming, with pieces of the bloody meat, throw it on the 

 grass, and run back for more : all keep talking and shouting 

 at the utmost pitch of their voices. Sometimes two or three, 

 regardless of all laws, seize the same piece of meat, and have 

 a brief fight of words over it. Occasionally an agonized yell 

 bursts forth, and a native emerges out of the moving mass of 

 dead elephant and wriggling humanity, with his hand badly 

 cut by the spear of his excited friend and neighbour: this 

 requires a rag and some soothing words to prevent bad blood. 

 In an incredibly short time tons of meat are cut up, and 

 placed in separate heaps around. 



Sandia arrived soon after the beast was divided': he is an 

 elderly man, and wears a wig made of ife fibre (sanseviera) 

 dyed black, and of a fine glossy appearance. This plant 

 is allied to the aloes, and its thick fleshy leaves, in shape 

 somewhat like our sedges, when bruised yield much fine 

 strong fibre, which is made into ropes, nets, and wigs. It takes 

 dyes readily, and the fibre might form a good article of com- 

 merce. Ife wigs, as we afterwards saw, are not uncommon 

 in this country, though perhaps not so common as hair wigs at 



