MATS AND FIBROUS SUBSTANCES. 



317 



of mat is called mkeke. It is made at Zanzibar and the 

 coast, from the young fronds of the ukhindu or brab, 

 neatly stained with various dyes. Women of family 

 pride themselves upon their skill in making the mkeke, 

 which still attains a price of four dollars. Amongst the 

 maritime races none but the chiefs have a right to sit 

 upon it ; there are no such distinctions in the interior, 

 where these mats are carried for sale by the slaves. 

 From the brab also are made neat strainers to purify 

 honey, pombe, and similar articles. They are open- 

 mouthed cylinders, from one to two feet long, and vary- 

 ing in diameter from three to six inches. The bottom 

 is narrowed by whipping fibre round the loose ends of 

 the leaves. The fishing-nets have been described when 

 treating of the Tanganyika. The luavo, or hand-net, is 

 made of calabash or other fibre, with coarse wide 

 meshes ; it is affixed to two sticks firmly planted in 

 the ground, and small animals are driven into it by 

 beaters. 



The basts or barks and fibrous substances in East 

 Africa are cheap and abundant, but labour and convey- 

 ance being difficult and expensive, they would require to 

 be shipped from Zanzibar in the condition of half-stuff. 

 The best and most easily divisible into pliant and knot- 

 tying fibres are, upon the coast the pineapple, and in the 

 interior the plantain. The next in value are the integu- 

 ments of the calabash and the myombo tree. These 

 fibres would produce a good article were it not for the 

 artlessness of African manipulation. The bark is pounded 

 or chewed, and, in lieu of spinning, is twisted between 

 the hands ; the largest ropes are made in half an hour, 

 and break after a few minutes of hard work. A fine 

 silky twine, used for fishing, is made from the aloetic 

 plants called by the Wasawahili mkonge, and by the 



