rs
before going out to battle, because it drove them nearly mad, and so
fitted them for their bloody work. Government has lately forbidden its
use--but it is still used in secret."

"They've got baccy, an' don't smoke!" murmured Hockins to himself in a
kind of meditative surprise, as though he had just been told that the
natives possessed food and did not eat.

"But _you_ don't smoke?" remarked the guide.

"That's 'cause I hain't got baccy nor pipe. You give me pipe and baccy
an' I'll smoke you into fits in no time."

"Do you feel the want of it much?"

"Not much. At first I did, most awful, but now I'm gettin' over it."

The guide was silent. He might have remarked, "Yet now, if you had the
chance, you would enslave yourself _again_!" but, not being of an
argumentative turn of mind, he merely shook his head and changed the
subject. It was well, for Hockins was one of those people who, "if
convinced against their will, remain of the same opinion still."

After breakfast, while the young men of the tribe armed themselves and
made preparation for the expedition, Ravonino took his friends through
the village, the inhabitants of which were evidently as deeply
interested in seeing the white men as the latter were in seeing the
brown; for each were objects of curiosity to the other.

During the stroll our friends saw the weaving of the _lamba_--the large
plaid-like garment of hempen cloth worn extensively in the island. The
looms were rude and simple, but the fabrics produced were wonderfully
good in appearance and texture, some being made of a kind of coarse
silk. Many of them were ornamented, and rendered very heavy with
immense quantities of small leaden beads fastened to the garment either
in straight or curved rows, the lead having been procured from traders
at the coast, and the beads having been manufactured by themselves.
These natives wore but little clothing--merely a cloth round the loins,
and sometimes a jacket made of coarse material. The _lamba_ is usually
worn over the shoulders in the cool of the morning, but at the time we
write of most of the men who used the garment, had bound it tightly
round their waists.

Our travellers were made acquainted at this time with a game which
interested them greatly--especially arousing the enthusiasm of the
negro. It was a kicking game, played by some of the more active among
the young men, who, having got ready for the field quickly, were waiting
for the