Flour Of Plantains Was Remarkably Good;
This Was Made By Grinding The Fruit When Dried As Described; It Was
Then, As Usual With All Other Articles In That Country, Most Beautifully
Packed In Long Narrow Parcels, Either Formed Of Plantain Bark Or Of The
White Interior Of Rushes Worked Into Mats.
This bark served as brown
paper, but had the advantage of being waterproof.
The fibre of the
plantain formed both thread and cord, thus the principal requirements of
the natives were supplied by this most useful tree. The natives were
exceedingly clever in working braid from the plantain fibre, which was
of so fine a texture that it had the appearance of a hair chain; nor
could the difference be detected without a close examination. Small bags
netted with the same twine were most delicate, and in all that was
produced in Unyoro there was a remarkably good taste displayed in the
manufacture.
The beads most valued were the white opal, the red porcelain, and the
minute varieties generally used for working on screens in England; these
small beads [These were given to me by Speke at Gondokoro] of various
colours were much esteemed, and were worked into pretty ornaments, about
the shape of a walnut, to be worn suspended from the neck. I had a small
quantity of the latter variety that I presented to Kamrasi, who prized
them as we should value precious stones.
Not only were the natives clever generally in their ideas, but they were
exceedingly cunning in their bargains.
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