Chap. IV. THE IFE-PLANT. 117 



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 commerce. " Ife " wigs, as we afterwards saw, are not 

 uncommon in this country, though perhaps not so common 

 as hair wigs at home. Sandia's mosamela, or small carved 

 wooden pillow, exactly resembling the ancient Egyptian 

 one, was hung from the back of his neck ; this pillow and 

 a sleeping mat are usually carried by natives when on 

 hunting excursions. 



We had the elephant's fore-foot cooked for ourselves, in 

 native fashion. A large hole was dug in the ground, in 

 which a fire was made ; and, when the inside was 

 thoroughly heated, the entire foot was placed in it, and 

 covered over with the hot ashes and soil ; another fire was 

 made above the whole, and kept burning all nicrht. We 

 had the foot thus cooked for breakfast next morning, and 

 found it delicious. It is a whitish mass, slightly gelatinous, 

 and sweet, like marrow. A long march, to prevent 

 biliousness, is a wise precaution after a meal of elephant's 

 foot. Elephant's trunk and tongue are also good, and, 

 after long simmering, much resemble the hump of a 



