cultivate largely. They have selected a kind of maize that bends its
fruit-stalk round into a hook, and hedges some eighteen feet high are
made by inserting poles, which sprout like Robinson Crusoe's hedge, and
never decay. Lines of climbing plants are tied so as to go along from
pole to pole, and the maize cobs are suspended to these by their own
hooked fruit-stalk. As the corn cob is forming, the hook is turned
round, so that the fruit-leaves of it hang down and form a thatch for
the grain beneath, or inside it. This upright granary forms a
solid-looking, wall round the villages, and the people are not stingy,
but take down maize and hand it to the men freely.

The women are very naked. They bring loads of provisions to sell,
through the rain, and are eager traders for beads. Plantains, cassava,
and maize, are the chief food. The first rains had now begun, and the
white ants took the hint to swarm and colonize.

_6th, 7th, and 8th November, 1869._--We came to many large villages, and
were variously treated; one headman presented me with a parrot, and on
my declining it, gave it to one of my people; some ordered us off, but
were coaxed to allow us to remain over night. They have no restraint;
some came and pushed off the door of my hut with a stick while I was
resting, as we should do with a wild-beast cage.

Though reasonably willing to gratify curiosity, it becomes tiresome to
be the victim of unlimited staring by the ugly, as well as by the
good-looking. I can bear the women, but ugly males are uninteresting,
and it is as much as I can stand when a crowd will follow me wherever I
move. They have heard of Dugumbé Hassani's deeds, and are evidently
suspicious of our intentions: they say, "If you have food at home, why
come so far and spend your beads to buy it here?" If it is replied, on