When I got up to him, it gave me no small joy to find that it was a
gourd tree.

"Try," said I, "if you can get hold of one of those queer lumps that
grow on it."

With that he brought one down, and we had a look at it.

"Now, of this," said I, "we can make a plate, a dish, or a flask. Wild
men set great store by its shell, which they use to hold their food and
drink."

We then set to work to make plates of the gourds. When we had made some
eight or ten bowls, and some flat ones for plates, we laid them out in
the sun to dry, and then went on our way.

We could see, not far off, a grove of fine palm trees, but to reach
them we should have to pass through reeds and long grass. I knew this
was just the place to find snakes, so we each cut a cane, that we might
beat them off should we meet with any. As I took hold of my staff, I
felt a gum or juice ooze out of the end. I put my tongue to it, and
found it of a sweet taste. This led me to suck the reed, and I then
knew that we had met with the SUG-AR CANE. By this time Fritz had done
the same, for I could see that he held his cane to his mouth.

"Do not suck too much of it," said I, "or it will make you ill; but let
us cut some of the best and take them back with us, for those at home
will prize so great a treat."

It did not take us long to reach the place where the palms grew, and