Chap. XXXI. 
LIBEEALITY OF COMMANDANT. 
639 
All the cultivation is carried on with hoes in the native manner, 
and considerable quantities of Holcus sorghum, maize, Pennisetum 
typhoideum, or lotsa of the Balonda, millet, rice, and wheat, are 
raised, as also several kinds of beans—one of wliich, called litloo ” 
by the Bechuanas, yields under-ground, as well as the Arachis 
hypogcea, or ground-nut; with cucumbers, pumpkins, and melons. 
The wheat is sown in low-lying places winch are annually flooded by 
the Zambesi. When the waters retire, the women drop a few grains 
in a hole made with a hoe, then push back the soil with the foot. 
One weeding alone is required before the grain comes to maturity. 
This simple process represents aU our subsoil-plougliing, liming, 
manuring, and harrowing, for in four months after planting, a good 
crop is ready for the sickle, and has been known to yield a hmi- 
dred-fold. It flourished still more at Zumbo. No hrigation is 
required, because here there are gentle rains, almost like mist, in 
winter, which go by the name of wheat-showers,” and are un¬ 
known in the interior, where no winter rain ever falls. The 
rains at Tete come from the east, though the prevailing winds 
come from the S.S.E. The finest portion of the flour does not 
make bread nearly so white as the seconds, and here the boyaloa 
(pombe), or native beer, is employed to mix with the flour instead 
of yeast. It makes excellent bread. At Kilimane, where the 
cocoa-nut palm abounds, the toddy from it, called “ sura,” is used 
for the same purpose, and makes the bread still Lighter. 
As it was necessary to leave most of my men at this place. 
Major Sicard gave them a portion of land on which to cultivate 
their own food, generously supplying them with corn in the mean 
time. He also said that my young men might go and hunt 
elephants in company with his servants, and purchase goods with 
both the ivory and dried meat, in order that they might have 
something to take with them on their return to Sekeletu. The 
men were delighted with his liberality, and soon sixty or seventy 
of them set off to engage in this enterprise. There was no 
calico to be had at this time in Tete, but the Commandant hand¬ 
somely furnished my men with clothmg. I was in a state of 
want myself, and, though I pressed him to take payment in 
ivory for both myself and men, he refused all recompence. I 
shall ever remember his kindness with deep gratitude. He 
has written me, since my arrival in England, that my men had 
