TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
variety of unknown plants, but found there was a river a little 
to the eaftward of us, called by the natives, the Kys Comma. 
We then determined to return the fame way we came. The 
large Palm, mentioned before, grows here in abundance, and 
is ufed for bread by the Caffres as well as the Hottentots. 
They take the pith of this plant, and after colleding a fuffi- 
cient quantity, let it lie for feveral days till it becomes a little 
four : after this thev bake it in an oven which is ere<Eted for 
the purpofe. They alfo bake bread of their own corn, which 
is the fame as the Guinea corn. But this grain is moftly ufed 
for making punch, called by fome of them Pombie, which is 
Ib'ong and intoxicating. They make confiderable ufe of a 
plant, called by the natives Plantains, which grows fpontane- 
oufly on the banks of the rivers, and in the woods. The pods 
of this plant are triangular, and about the fize of a prickly 
cucumber. I found none of them in flower, but feveral in 
fruit ; the feed is about as large as a pea ; and I believe it to 
be what Dr. Tunberg calls the Helaconia Calfraria. 
The men amongft the Caffres are from five feet ten inches 
to fix feet high, and well proportioned, and in general evince 
great courage in attacking Lions, or any beafrs of prey. This 
nation is now divided into two parties ; to the northward are a 
number of them commanded by one Chatha Bea, or Tambu- 
fliie, who has obtained the latter denomination from his mother, 
a woman of the tribe of Hottentots, called Tambakies. This 
man was the fon of a chief, called Pharoa, who died about 
three years before, and left two fons, Cha Cha Bea, and ano- 
ther named Dfirjka, who claimed the fupreme authority on 
