HORTICULTURE. — BEANS. — WATERMELONS. — CALABASH. 587 
They cultivate also a considerable quantity of linia (lenowa), a 
small species of kidney-bean. * The seeds are, I believe, eaten only 
when ripe, and not in the state of green pods. These seeds are of 
scarcely half the size of the smallest beans of the English gardens, 
and like them, vary much in color ; but the plants themselves are all 
of the same growth, being erect, about a foot and a half high, and 
showing no disposition to twine. Their flowers, in some varieties, 
were of the most beautiful blue ; and in others, of a yellow color. 
The pods grew upwards and in pairs. 
At the time of my residence at Litakun, it was not, what may 
be termed, their garden-season ; and no where was the least appear- 
ance to be seen which could have induced me to believe that they 
practised Jiorticulture, as all their crops had long been gathered, their 
land lay neglected and uninclosed, and they had not yet begun to 
plant the seeds for the next season. I obtained, however, seeds of 
various sorts with their names, and descriptions of the vegetables. 
They were principally varieties of a species of water-melon called 
lekatdni : one with yellow seeds was called lekdtdni lefeeii ; another 
with red, lekatdni ndJiand ; with green, lekatdni kwuii ; and with black 
having a white margin, lekatani 'nchu. These were said to admit of 
being dried in the sun, for the purpose of being preserved as a store 
for winter ; but whether they were at this season unusually scarce, 
or the natives were too greedy to part with their food, it is a remark- 
able fact, that I never once saw any of these latter, nor was I able 
to procure any by purchase. They have also another sort of water- 
melon named lesliudtze^ which is eaten boiled ; and another called 
lekhdpUi which was said by my interpreter to be ' the Cape sort.' 
The leputzi or pumpkin is equally common in their gardens ; and the 
calabash gourd f is much cultivated for the sake of its shell or sikkwo 
which performs a very important part in their domestic economy, 
as it furnishes them with drinking vessels and milk-bowls, of all sizes. 
* This corresponds with the description of Doliclios Catiaiig, a species which is also 
cultivated in the East Indies, 
f Cucurbita lagenaria. 
4 F 2 
