t 
LIFE AND MANNERS IN UGANDA. 
307 
Of the banana proper, there are several varieties, each 
distinguished by a special name, just as the European 
gardener distinguishes his several varieties of potatoes. 
Some are 3 inches in length, with deep green coats, and 
seem fat with matter. Others, 6 inches in length, and 
of a lighter green colour, are considered the best ; others 
are short, plumpy fruit, great favourites also. There is 
another species, known by a dark point, rather bitter to 
the taste and unfit for food, but specially reserved for 
the manufacture of wine, for which it alone is adapted. 
2. The fruit of this latter species furnishes the natives 
with the maramba, a lioney-sweet, cider-flavoured wine, 
and, when mixed with a little millet, sweet beer also. 
When fermented and perfect, the latter is a potent 
liquid, and a quart suffices 
to disturb the equilibrium 
of many men ; but there 
are old topers, like Prince 
Kaduma, who would toss off 
a gallon and be apparently 
only slightly elated after it. 
A small draught of maramba 
taken at dawn I found bene- 
ficial to the system. 
3. The banana - fronds 
serve as thatch for houses, 
fences for enclosures, and as bedding. They are also 
used to protect milk, water, and flour vessels from dust 
and impurities, are employed as table-cloths, on which 
food is spread, and, like newspapers or brown paper, are 
used as wrappers for gifts of eatables, such as ripe 
bananas, butter, meat, eggs, fish, &c., while they serve 
daily and universally as pudding-cloths in the Kiganda 
households. The cool, thick shade afforded by a banana 
plantation is well known. 
4. The stems are sometimes used for fences and 
defensive enclosures ; they are also frequently employed 
as rollers, to move heavy logs, or for the transportation 
of canoes overland from point to point, when the strate- 
gies of war demand it. The pith or heart of the stalk 
x 2 
HUT OF KARAGWE, UDDU. 
