Life at Banza Nokki. 
213 
baked,” and this Mbolo was the object of every 
chiefs ambition. “ Coleworts” are noticed by 
Merolla as a missionary importation ; he tells us 
that they produce no seed ; and are propagated 
by planting the sprouts, which grow to a great 
height. The greens, cabbages, spinach, and 
French beans, mentioned by Tuckey, have been 
allowed to die out. Tea, coffee, sugar, and all 
such exotics, are unappreciated, if not unknown ; 
chillies, which grow wild, enter into every dish, and 
the salt of native manufacture, brown and earthy, 
is bought in little baskets. 
Between breakfast and midday there is a 
mighty drink. The palm-wine, here called “ Ms- 
amba,” and on the lower river “ Manjewa,” is not 
brought in at dawn, or it would be better. The 
endogen in general use is the elais, which is 
considered to supply a better and more delicate 
liquor than the raphia. The people do not fell 
the tree like the Kru-men, but prefer the hoop of 
“ supple-jack” affected by the natives of Fernando 
Po and Camarones. A leaf folded funnel-wise, and 
inserted as usual in the lowest part of the frond 
before the fruit forms, conveys the juice into the 
calabashes, often three, which hang below the 
crown ; and the daily produce may be ten quarts. 
On the first day of tapping, the sap is too sweet; 
it is best during the following week and, when it 
becomes tart, no more must be drawn or the tree 
