ZULU WOMEN MAKING BEER AT GUDU'S KRAAL, ON THE TUGALA RIVER.
THK favourite beverage of the Kafirs is an intoxicating liquor made of fermented millet, somewhat resembling beer,
and called by them " outchualla." It is used on all festive occasions, especially at marriage ceremonies, dances, and
during the season of planting the crops of maize and mület. The scene on the accompanying Plate reprcscuts a party
of women at the kraal. of an Induna, named Gndu, situated on the banks of the Tugda River, who are employed in
making " outchualla" for the use of the kraal. The time is evening, when the rich mellow light of an African smiset
bathes the landscape with its golden softness, and the hills beyond look intensely purple through the brilliancy of the
atmosphere. The lofty trees to the right mark the couree of the Túgala, the river which forms the boundary between
Natal and the Zulu country. Tliis river, like most of those flowing into the Imlian Ocean, is infested with crocodiles ;
sometimes I have seen them basking on the sand, appearing like dead logs along the banks of the rivei'; at others,
swimming slowly up the stream with only their fi-ightful jaws ripphug the surface of the smooth, dark water. Quicksands
also occur in the Túgala, and on crossing it on one occasion I nearly lost two horees, from their sinking in these
treacherous deposits.
To return to our sketch. The large earthen jars over the fire contain the beer which, after boiling, is set aside
for some days to ferment. One womau is stirring the millet about with a calabash spoon, whilst another is testing its
quality in a little cup; a tliird woman is advancing with a basket of millet on her head, and a fourth is pouring out
the liquor in waterproof baskets. The scattered huts form a portion of Gudu's kraal, and around are store baskets for
maize, broken jare, pumpkins, and other accessories of a Zulu kraal. The spreading tree near the fire is a mimosa or
" kameel doru" (camel thorn), one of the most abundant trees of the country; and beyond are some tree aloes in seed,
skirting the favourite tobacco plantations.
The ceremony of snuff-taking amongst the Zulus is anything but a trifling one; the individual about to indulge in
this, to thera ecstatic luxury, leai'es his or her work, sits dowii leisurely upon the ground, fills the ivory spoon with
snuff from the gourd or the chrysalis, and then, with a might)' efl'ort, draws up the whole of its contents into Üie bead
at once; they remain in a state of intense enjoyment foi' a moment or two, till the teai-s run from their eyes, and ate
coaxed down their cheeks with the forefinger. On no account whatever must the party be disturbed until the operation
is over, The Zulus grow their own tobacco, from which they prepare snuff by grinding it u]>on a flat stone, and mixing
it with the ashes of burnt aloe leaves. It is the custom of the Zulus to pack their tobacco in long rolls containing
from thirty to fifty pomids each, which are encased with reeds, bound round to protcct the weed fi'om injury. One of
these large rolls is fi-equently the produce of an entire tobacco garden, which is a Uttle cii-cular enclosure just outside
the kraal, fenced with stakes to keep off the cattle.