The Poison Is Said To Be Deleterious To Man If The Water Is Drunk;
But Not When The Fish Is Cooked.
The Busungu is repulsive to some
insects, and is smeared round the shoots of the palm-trees to prevent
the ants from getting into the palm wine while it is dropping from
the tops of the palm-trees into the little pots suspended to collect
it.
We were in the habit of walking from our beds into the salt water at
sunrise, for a bath, till a large crocodile appeared at the bathing-
place, and from that time forth we took our dip in the sea, away from
the harbour, about midday. This is said to be unwholesome, but we
did not find it so. It is certainly better not to bathe in the
mornings, when the air is colder than the water - for then, on
returning to the cooler air, one is apt to get a chill and fever. In
the mouth of the river, many saw-fish are found. Rowe saw one while
bathing - caught it by the tail, and shoved it, "snout on," ashore.
The saw is from a foot to eighteen inches long. We never heard of
any one being wounded by this fish; nor, though it goes hundreds of
miles up the river in fresh water, could we learn that it was eaten
by the people. The hippopotami delighted to spend the day among the
breakers, and seemed to enjoy the fun as much as we did.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 291 of 505
Words from 78432 to 78684
of 136856
