92 
TP.AVELS IN AFRICA. 
Februtry unknowii plaiitSj but found there v/as a river a little 
to the eaftward of us, called by the natives, the Kys Comma. 
We then determined to return the fame v/ay v/e came. The 
large Palm, mentioned before, grows here in abundance, and 
is ufed for bread by the Cafires as well as the Hottentots. 
They take the pith of this plant, and after collecting a fufE- 
cient quantity, let it lie for feveral days till it becomes a little 
four ; after this they bake it in an oven which is erected for 
the purpole. They alfo bake bread of their own corn, which 
is the fame as the Guinea corn. But this grain is moftly ufed 
for making punch, called by fome of them Pombie, which is 
flrong and intoxicating. They make conhderable ufe of a 
plant, called by the natives Plantains, which grows fpontane- 
■oufly on the banks of the rivers, and in the woods. The pods 
of this plant are triangular, and about the lize of a prickly 
cucumber. I found none of them in flower, but feveral in 
fruit ; the feed is about as large as a pea ; and I believe it to 
be what Dr. Tunbero' calls the Helaconia CafFraria. 
O 
The men amongfl: the Caffres are from five feet ten inches 
to fix feet high, and well proportioned, and in general evince 
great courage in attacking Lions, or any beafls of prey. This 
nation is now divided into two parties ; to the northward are a 
number of them commanded by one Chatha Bea, or Tambu- 
fliie, who has obtained the latter denomination from his mother, 
a woman of the tribe of Hottentots, called Tambukies. This 
man was the fon of a chief, called Pharoa, who died about 
three years before, and left two fons, Cha Cha Bea, and ano¬ 
ther named Dfirika, who claimed the fupreme authority on 
