The
tobacco they grow themselves.
Near the royal abode were the kitchen gardens. A tract of forest had
been fired, and this clearing planted with bananas, mandioca, sweet
potatoes, etc. The blackened trunks of the trees rose up like so many
evil spirits above the green foliage. The garden implements used were
of the most primitive description; a crooked stick served for hoe,
and long, heavy, sharpened iron-wood clubs were used instead of the
steel plough of civilization.
As I have already remarked, I found the people were sun-worshippers.
Each morning, just as the rising sun lit up the eastern sky, young
and old came out of their houses, the older ones carrying empty
gourds with the dry seeds inside. At a signal from the high priest, a
solemn droning chant was struck up, to the monotonous time kept by
the numerous gourd rattles. As the sun rose higher and higher, the
chanting grew louder and louder, and the echoes of "He! he! he! ha!
ha! ha! laima! laima!" were repeated by the distant hills. When the
altar of incense (described later) was illuminated by the sun-god,
the chanting ceased.
After this solemn worship of the Orb of Day, the women, with quiet
demeanor and in single file, went off to their work in the gardens.
On returning, each carried a basket made of light canes, slung on the
back and held up by plaited fibres forming a band which came across
their foreheads.
