24 
which is then left to evaporate by the action of the 
sun :—the time of planting is the sickly or wet season. 
The fields or plantations are inclosed with fences 
of bamboo and other stakes, and the preparation of 
the soil is generally conducted by slaves. But in the 
provinces of Ghalemboule and Manghabei, the women 
and children are employed in this work. It being a 
season of festivity with them, their manner of con¬ 
ducting the operation is extremely entertaining;— 
they make a hole in the earth with a stick, amongst 
the ashes which are strewed on the surface, and throw 
in two or three grains of rice, which they cover with 
their feet, singing and dancing all the time in the most 
cheerful manner. Both men and women in these dis¬ 
tricts are very industrious, being employed in the 
fields from sun-rise to sun-set; the men in cutting and 
burning canes for manure, and the women in planting, 
weeding, or harvesting the rice and other grains. The 
fields exhibit a very interesting appearance. All 
kinds of grain grow to a great height; the white rice 
(of which a proportion of three-fourths to one of red is 
grown) flourishes on the high grounds only, and its 
cultivation is in no respect similar to that of the red. 
Besides rice and barley, they grow several kinds of 
beans and peas, and some maize; these are sown at 
different times, and one or two species of rice grow 
only in winter. Of yams they cultivate several kinds, 
cutting them for seed as we do potatoes. Some of 
them grow to a great size, especially the fanghitz, 
which is as large as a man’s body. 
