220 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



cassava, yams, etc. Their flocks of sheep and goats 

 are small, and they have no large cattle whatever. 

 They are greatly in dread of their neighbours, and are 

 in a measure subject to the Embe, the Wamsara, and 

 other powerful tribes inhabiting the Jombeni range ; 

 but their poverty saves them from frequent raids by 

 their more powerful neighbours. 



Almost without exception, in all the large trees 

 growing in the neighbourhood of Daitcho, there are to 

 be found small, hollow logs, which are used as hives 

 for bees. The honey found upon the plains is much 

 inferior to that to be had upon the mountains ; but, 

 after it has been diluted with water, and placed near a 

 fire to ferment, it is sufficient to keep the older men 

 of the Daitcho tribe in a condition of intoxication. 

 After a few hours fermentation sets in, and then, 

 although the liquid is not strong to the taste, it seems 

 to produce high spirits in these simple-minded savages. 



The plantations in the Daitcho country are not 

 divided by hedges, as is the case with the Embe, 

 but a narrow uncultivated space is left as the divid- 

 ing line between one plantation and another. They 

 get two crops from the soil annually, and each pro- 

 prietor of a plantation has near his little hut several 

 storehouses for grain. They are not very industri- 

 ous or prudent, and cases of suffering from, famine 

 are not infrequent. All work on the plantations — 

 children of tender years, as well as the most aged 

 people. They work the soil with sharpened sticks, 

 hardened by charring in a fire. I tried to induce 

 them to use hoes (several of which I had brought), 

 but to no purpose. 



