Wanika. 
thing to obtain a wife or wives, but this accom- 
plished they yield themselves up to indolence, 
eschewing work as if it were sin. In order to raise 
the means for the purchase of wives, some young men 
give themselves to the cultivation of the soil, but 
they prefer lighter occupations. Others devote their 
whole time to ''ku gema," the tapping of the cocoa- 
nut palm for toddy ; but more engage themselves as 
" wapagazi,*' porters, upon the Kisuahili caravans, 
which go into the interior in search of ivory, etc. 
Toddy-tapping is a favourite pursuit, because it 
involves but little labour, pays pretty well, and 
affords abundant opportunity for gossip and guzzle. 
Morning, noon, and night the mgema (tapper) 
collects the wine, and bleeds the tree afresh. 
This occupies him each time only a few minutes, 
and the intervals he devotes to maneno (palaver), 
drinking, dancing, song-singing, and merriment. 
Porterage suits the young Mnika for similar reasons. 
On the whole it is not hard work, and it constantly 
introduces him into fresh society, w^here^ such is the 
universality of African hospitality and fondness for 
talk, he generally obtains plenty to eat and drink, 
and spends night and day, sometimes for many weeks 
together, when the caravan is at a halt, in listening to 
the story-telling of his host, in recounting his own 
experiences, the news of his country, and the wonders 
of his own race. In handicraft the Wanika are not 
clever. All that they attempt in this way is the 
building of their own thatched hen-coops, which they 
call " niumba" (huts), the making of a rude uriri," 
(cartel or bedstead), cutting out a stool, a mortar 
and pestle, hafting hoes and axes, drawing wire, 
