outh-east rains are abundant, the Manyuema
place the back side of the houses to this quarter, and prolong the low
roof down, so that the rain does not reach the walls. These clay walls
stand for ages, and men often return to the villages they left in
infancy and build again the portions that many rains have washed away.
The country generally is of clayey soil, and suitable for building. Each
housewife has from twenty-five to thirty earthen pots slung to the
ceiling by very neat cord-swinging tressels; and often as many neatly
made baskets hung up in the same fashion, and much firewood.

_5th November, 1869._--In going we crossed the River Luela, of twenty
yards in width, five times, in a dense dripping forest. The men of one
village always refused to accompany us to the next set of hamlets, "They
were at war, and afraid of being killed and eaten." They often came five
or six miles through the forests that separate the districts, but when
we drew near to the cleared spaces cultivated by their enemies they
parted civilly, and invited us to come the same way back, and they would
sell us all the food we required.

The Manyuema country is all surpassingly beautiful. Palms crown the
highest heights of the mountains, and their gracefully bended fronds
wave beautifully in the wind; and the forests, usually about five miles
broad, between groups of villages, are indescribable. Climbers of cable
size in great numbers are hung among the gigantic trees, many unknown
wild fruits abound, some the size of a child's head, and strange birds
and monkeys are everywhere. The soil is excessively rich, and the
people, although isolated by old feuds that are never settled,
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