598 CULTIVATION OF CROPS. 



so very unlikely in men who bring the dust in quills, and 

 even put in a few seeds of a certain plant as a charm to 

 prevent their losing any of it in the way, that I doubted 

 the authority of my informant ; but I found the report 

 verified by all the Portuguese who know the native lan- 

 guage and mode of thinking, and give the statement for 

 what it is worth. If it is really practised, the custom 

 may have been introduced by some knowing one who 

 wished to defraud the chiefs of their due ; for we are 

 informed in Portuguese history that in former times, 

 these pieces or flakes of gold were considered the per- 

 quisites of the chiefs. 



Major Sicard, the Commandant, whose kindness to me 

 and my people was unbounded, presented a rosary made 

 of the gold of the country, the workmanship of a native 

 of Tete, to my little daughter ; also specimens of the gold 

 dust of three different places, which, with the coal of 

 Muatize and Morongoze, are deposited in the Museum of 

 Practical Geology, J ermyn- street, London. 



All the cultivation is carried on with hoes in the native 

 manner, and considerable quantities of Holcus sorghum, 

 maize, Pennisetum typhoideum, or lotsa of the Balonda, 

 millet, rice, and wheat, are raised, as also several kinds 

 of beans — one of which, called " litloo " by the Bechuanas, 

 yields under-ground, as well as the Arachis hypogaa, 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 subsofl-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 hundred-fold. It flourished 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 unknown 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.B. 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 

 vith the flour instead of yeast. It makes excellent bread. 



