232 MANIOC-PORRIDGE. 



To get rid of the poison the people place it four days in 

 a pool of water. It then becomes partially decomposed, 

 and is taken out, stripped to its skin, and exposed to 

 the sun. When dried, it is easily pounded into fine white 

 meal, closely resembling starch, which has either a little 

 of the peculiar taste arising from decomposition, or no 

 more flavour than starch. When intended to be used as 

 food, this meal is stirred into boiling water : they put as 

 much in as can be moistened, one man holding the vessel 

 and the other stirring the porridge with all his might. 

 This is the common mess of the country. Though hungry, 

 we could just manage to swallow it with the aid of a little 

 honey, which I shared with my men as long as it lasted. 

 It is very unsavoury (Scottice wersh) ; and no matter 

 how much one may eat, two hours afterwards he is as 

 hungry as ever. When less meal is employed, the mess 

 is exactly like a basin of starch in the hands of a laundress ; 

 and if the starch were made from diseased potatoes, some 

 idea might be formed of the Balonda porridge, which 

 hunger alone forced us to eat. Santuru forbade his nobles 

 to eat it, as it caused coughing and expectoration. 



Our chief guide, Intemese, sent orders to all the villages 

 around our route that Shinte's friends must have abund- 

 ance of provisions. Our progress was impeded by the time 

 requisite for communicating the chief's desire, and con- 

 sequent preparation of meal. We received far more food 

 from Shinte's people than from himself. Kapende, for 

 instance, presented two large baskets of meal, three of 

 manioc-roots steeped and dried in the sun and ready 

 to be converted into flour, three fowls and seven eggs, 

 with three smoke-dried fishes ; and others gave with 

 similar liberality. I gave to the headmen small bunches 

 of my stock of beads, with an apology that we were now 

 on our way to the market for these goods. The present 

 was always politely received. 



We had an opportunity of observing that our guides 

 had much more etiquette than any of the tribes farther 

 south. They gave us food, but would not partake of it 

 when we had cooked it ; nor would they eat their own 

 food in our presence. When it was cooked they retired 

 into a thicket, and ate their porridge ; then all stood up 

 and clapped their hands, and praised Intemese for it. 

 The Makololo, who are accustomed to the most free and 

 easy manners, held out handfuls of what they had cooked 



