9 o MATABELE LAND. 



Some of the latter Frank Oates describes at the 

 Umvungu in his Journal : — " There is a kind of fruit 

 growing in trees here," he says, "which the boys 

 get very eagerly. It is really excellent. It is about 

 the size of a large walnut, with a hard case cleft 

 in four, inside which are glutinous woody fibre 

 and seeds. The seeds are thrown away, and the 

 fibre chewed. The latter contains a large quantity 

 of sweet glutinous matter, the part rejected looking 

 just like wood. There is also another excellent 

 fruit," he continues, " not uncommon, which grows 

 on a small tree, and is larger than a very fine orange. 

 In shape it is spherical, and the outer case, which is 

 hard, is easily broken, and the contents laid bare. 

 The pulp that surrounds the seeds is the part eaten. 

 This is brown in colour, and deliciously acid in 

 flavour, reminding one a little of roasted apple. 

 The pulp of one of these fruits forms quite a refresh- 

 ing little repast. I believe they are common near 

 Pretoria, — so John tells me, — and no doubt are 

 found all over the veldt. The boys always make a 

 great rush to get them. When quite mature the 

 outer rind is yellow, and they seem to fall to the 

 ground as soon as they are thoroughly ripe." 



The description of the first of these fruits 

 corresponds closely with that of a fruit named 

 " maneko," which was met with by Livingstone 

 in the centre of the continent. The last-named x 



1 Doubtless Brehmia sftinosa, a plant closely allied to the genus 

 Strychnos. 



