FISHES. 
389 
the gravy highly seasoned and enriched by a great 
quantity of red pepper and palm-oil. 
A favourite mess of the Haussa people, who, if Ma- 
homedans, do not drink beer, is made from the flour 
of Indian corn, into a sort of hasty pudding or 
“ sowens.” It is called “ Koko,” and is both meat and 
drink to them ; a small calabash full, which costs about 
the twentieth part of a penny, with the addition of a 
piece of dried yam, will frequently furnish a meal, 
especially for the women. Men never eat with their 
wives, and kings cannot be seen at their refections by 
subjects ; being supposed probably to subsist on things 
less gross than those which will nourish common flesh 
and blood. The natives are much employed in fishing. 
Some of their methods of proceeding have been alluded 
to (page 200), but we can unfortunately add little 
to this part of Natural History, as we could procure 
few of the fishes in a raw state. The accompanying cut 
