158 
TRADE OF KARAGUE. 
Eidiculous scenes of drunkenness would sometimes 
occur. One Seedee with a gun would in his intoxi- 
cation chase another through the fields ; others with 
guns would fly to prevent bloodshed. At last the 
original offender would have so many guns pointed at 
him that he would surrender, and then his gun would 
be found not loaded ! 
The process of making plantain-wine in Karague 
takes generally from two to three days. A huge log 
scooped out, and looking like a canoe, is essential for 
a large quantity. It is tilted at one end, and dammed 
up with grass in the centre. Ripe fruit has clean 
grass put amongst it. A woman mashes all at the 
upper end with her hands or feet. The liquor strains 
through the dam, and is again strained with grass till 
clean. All the liquid is then placed for fermentation 
in the " canoe " freshly cleaned. Some burnt, bruised 
sorghum is placed in it ; all is covered up from the 
air, and allowed to remain in the sun or near a fire 
for two or three days, when it is skimmed and fit for 
use. Wine is never exported or bottled, and probably 
not a drop of the brewing can be obtained after the 
lapse of only four days. All, even the youngest chil- 
dren amongst the peasants, drink it, carrying gourd- 
fuls of it about with them wherever they go, as regu- 
larly as we carry our purses. 
Of the natural products of the equatorial regions, 
such as slaves, ivory, salt, copper, iron, bark -cloths, 
coffee, and sugar-cane, Karague scarcely yields any, 
but it is a great depot for trade. Arabs and coastmen 
bring up beads, cloths, and brass wire, and meet people 
of all the nations around, and trade with them for 
ivory and slaves. Copper and salt are brought from 
