A DENSE POPULATION. 
475 
southern part there is an almost unbroken chain of villages. 
Wherever they landed they were surrounded with eager 
curious crowds. On the whole the}' were civil. They cul- 
tivate the soil, raising quantities of rice, sweet potatoes, 
maize, mapira and millet. In the north cassava is the 
chief crop, which with fish, kept until its flavor is high, 
forms the staple food of the people. In the north at certain 
seasons a small insect or midge comes in clouds, filling the 
air to a great height. The people gather them at night, 
and bake a cake from them; they are called “Kungo,” and 
the cake is said to taste not unlike caviare, or salted locusts. 
The lake was full of various varieties of fish, most of 
which were new ; the natives are expert fishermen, being 
occupied chiefly in the night. They make nets from 
“ buaze,” netting with a needle such as we use. They raise 
cotton and make cloth from it, and also from a certain 
kind of bark, from an undescribed tree. 
They are by no means handsome. The pelele is worn 
by all the women ; some of them wear one in the lower lip 
as well. A very fashionable style of ring for this ornament 
is made from a kind of red pipe-clay. All the natives are 
tattoed from head to foot, the figures designating the tribes. 
The Matumboka, or Atimboka, raise small knobs on their 
faces, which make them look as though covered with warts. 
The young girls are good looking until they add this charm. 
Owing to the extreme scantiness of materials used in their 
dresses, they are indescribable; their teeth are cut into 
points, like a cat’s. They are. generous with what they 
have. The northern chief Marenga, whose domain extended 
from Darnbo to the north of Makuza Hill, treated the party 
very generously. Showing Dr. Livingstone his bracelet of 
iron studded with copper, he asked whether there were such 
in his country ; and on being told no, he took it off and 
gave it to the Doctor, his wife doing the same with hers. 
By Chitanda, for the first time in Africa, the party was 
robbed. It was done one night while they were asleep. 
They oould not suspect the people of the village, and 
