found full of sacks containing very large berries of it.
The sacks were remarkably stout and well made—
somewhat similar to Calcutta rice-bags. Two fruits,
new to us, were seen growing—one, the colour and
size of the Indian loquat, with several stones, but growing
on a lofty tree with sombre foliage and densely-close
branches. The other was an underground scarlet fruit,
growing in sets of five and six clustered together like
bananas, and of the same size. After being peeled,
the pulp, with numerous black seeds, tasted refreshing
as a lime, and was much enjoyed by the Waganda,
who carried them strung as necklaces. The stalk of
this plant (an amomum) grows four feet high from a
creeping knotted root, like that of many grasses; and
the scarlet fruit does not show above ground till ripe,
when it forces up the soil like a mole.
Food was abundant, plantain particularly so, and
might be had by the king’s guests for the mere pulling;
but if fowls, goats, or animal food was required, the natives
charged almost London prices, preferring cowries,
which we had none of, to beads. In the houses different
grains were slung, in plantain-leaf coverings, from
the posts which support the roofing. The staple food
of the people is green plantain, a particular variety,
boiled, when the peel comes off freely, and eaten like
mashed potato. A piece of meat boiled with them
made both very savoury, but plantain alone is not
satisfying to a European. The various uses made of
this tree surprised us. A chip from the bark was so
watery that the hands could be well washed with it,
but it was said to crack the skin: thread, wrappers,
and stripes like ribbons were taken from the trunks,
and the leaves were made into screen-fences, &c.
The wine I have before mentioned; two quarts of
it could be drunk without any injurious effect. Every
large hut seemed to have a trunk of a tree scooped
out like a canoe, leaving a narrow opening. Several of
these are collected in the grove when sufficient fruit
has ripened, and the plantain juice is put in them to
ferment, with some grain, and heaped over with leaves.
The scene at opening these, after three days of fermentation,
was quite a festive one. The immense
gourds of the village were brought to be filled; cups
were made from the leaves to taste the new beverage,
and all was merry as at a carnival. A species of wine
was made by the Waganda boys, very simple m its
mode of manufacture, and excellent to drink. A small
cavity was made in the ground, plantain leaves were
placed flatly into it, so as to make a basin for liquid.
Fruit, mixed with leaves, was pressed with the hands,
some’water added, and the leaves ultimately thrown
away, leaving the “ togweh” in the basin ready for
drinking.
In travelling through this country our Seedees never
received any pay as in the southern provinces, for the
king of Uganda gave orders to his people to provide
and cook for us. This was not always done f it more
frequently happened that as soon as our approach was
seen the natives fled, leaving almost all their goods
and chattels at our mercy. No persuasion would
bring them back, they are so accustomed to be surrounded
and captured by troops of men sent by the
king. Several influential officers in charge of districts
were seen on this route—Simjabee, Kittareh, Kuddoo,
and some of the Wazeewa or Wahia race. All brought
presents of fowls, buttermilk, sugar-cane, and wine.