86 Wanderings in Eastern Africa. 
'^sea island," which we took to the country with us, 
from which we got a capital stand, and a good crop, 
samples of which, examined by experts, were pro- 
nounced very good. There is no doubt that cotton 
might be grown in this country to any extent. What 
a pity therefore that it should be left to run into rank 
and useless vegetation ! The country produces a few 
wild fruit trees, but they are of no particular value. 
The mango, the mzambarao mananasi (pine-apple), 
mpera (guaver), mchungua (orange), mlimau (citron), 
mdimu (lime-tree), mpapayu (papau), etc., grow wild. 
The people take no pains whatever to cultivate these 
things, though nothing would be easier. The mgomba 
(plantain) is abundant, but it is left almost entirely to 
propagate itself The sugar-cane is indigenous. It 
is cultivated here and there in small quantities, but the 
people make no other use of it than that of chewing 
it as a kind of snack between meals. 
Of the oleaginous plants the mbono (castor plant) 
runs riot everywhere ; while sesamum is cultivated, but 
not largely. 
The chief cereals grown are muhunga (rice), muhama 
(Turkish maize), mahindi (Indian corn), wimbe and 
mawele. Rice and Turkish maize are raised for the 
coast markets, but Indian corn is retained for home 
consumption. It is the favourite article of food with 
the Wanika. Mawele (panicum) and wimbe are small 
seeds which the people grind into flour, and make 
into sima (hodge-podge), as they do with Indian 
corn. 
The leguminous plants are tubazi, kunde, fiwe, 
and pojo, but they are all very inferior kinds. The 
edible vegetables are chiefly mgasija (cassada), 
