i6 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



pulp when we have sucked all the juice out. Then, along 

 the districts near the coast wild grapes grow, which we 

 are very fond of. There is the mountain plum or Wilde 

 Pruim of the Karoo Hills, and the Spekboom (Portulacaria) 

 of the Karoo fiats. 



The ground is teeming with various sorts of onion-hke 

 bulbs, which we dig up and eat. The one we like best is 

 called Uintjes hy the Dutchfolk, which means " small 

 onion." There is a tree you call a Boerboon which grows 

 a bean of which we are very fond. 



There are a very great many plants which are poisonous, 

 but God has provided us with so fine a sense of smell and 

 taste that we can always tell which plants are poisonous and 

 which are not. 



I often wonder why you humanfolk don't teach your 

 children all about the trees and the other plants of your 

 country, so that when you are out in the wilds and run out 

 of food, you will be able to find all the food you need. Why, 

 I don't believe there's one of you who wouldn't die of 

 starvation if he were lost, away out in the bush-veld, al- 

 though there would be enough good food all around him 

 to feed a regiment. You see, you are very clever in some 

 ways, but very stupid and helpless in others. Your girls, we 

 are told, are taught at school all kinds of wonderful things, 

 which they forget all about a year after they leave school ; 

 but when they get homes of their own, they don't know how 

 to prepare the food. So they feed themselves, their children, 

 and their husbands, on all kinds of poisonous and harmful 

 substances and drinks, which cause so many of you to die 

 of sickness. 



A GREAT BATTLE 



Just when we were beginning to learn by experience 

 how to avoid being killed by those savage little Bushmen, 



