Preparations for the March . 247 
I may safely predicate the same of the negro, who 
owns, like the goose, a “singularly inflexible organi¬ 
zation/’ Whenever he can, he will, and he must, 
have his head. Gidi Mavunga would not even 
break his fast before touching the cloth and beads, 
which are to pay for guidance and carriage. The 
hut-door was closed, and in half an hour all was 
settled to every one’s satisfaction. Yet the ve¬ 
teran did not disdain a little rascality. Awaiting 
his opportunity, he tossed into a dark corner a 
little bundle of two fancy cloths which I had given 
the “linguistero ” and, when detected, he shame¬ 
lessly declared that such people have no right to 
trade. 
Finally, our departure was settled for the next 
morning, and the women at once began their pre¬ 
parations. Although they have sperm-candles, 
torches are preferred for the road; odoriferous 
gums are made up, as in the Gaboon, with rags or 
splints of bark; hence the old writers say, “ instead 
of putting wicks into the torches, they put torches 
into the wicks.” The travelling foods are mostly 
boiled batatas (sweet potatoes), Kwanga, a hard 
and innutritious pudding-like preparation of cassava 
which the “ Expedition ” (p. 197) calls “ Coongo, a 
bitter root, that requires four days’ boiling to de¬ 
prive it of its pernicious qualitythis is probably 
the black or poisonous manioc. The national 
dish, “ chindungwa,” would test the mouth of 
any curry-eater in the world : it is composed of 
