The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-04-03
A Central African Market,


3 distinctive name of selling, or mar
ket'' day, resembling in this the Latin
and Romance name for Friday, even
dredi,' "Venerdi," etc. The natives
will often come hundred miles to at
tend one of these big markets, and
there are generally several thousands
present, buying and selling. They
bring their fowls most carefully packed
in long wicker cages, fastened between
two stout poles converging at each end.
Eggs are usually carried in large, finely
plated baskets; indeed some of the bas-
network is SO tightly made that it will
hold water. At the markets between
Isangila and Manyanga 500 eggs may
be bought at time. The natives also
sell fresh vegetables pumpkins. sweet
potatoes and even wild cabbage, ba-
nanas, plantains, pinc-apples, ground
nuts, sugar-cane, maize. kola-nut, to-
bacco and .'kikwanga" Kikwanga
needs word OF special mention, it is
such an important article of consump-
ton in the Congo nlenH. The root of
the manioe, or cassada, a very an
cient introduction from Brazil, is taken
and pounded into fine white
pulp. This is left to soak for about
twenty-four hours in running water
possibly to rid the substance of GER
tain acrid poison attributed to the rootl,
and is then allowed to ferment When
worked up into consistence of stiff
dough it is divided into portions, and
each portion is wrapped up in large
green Leaf until wanted for cooking.
Kikwanga tastes and looks like sour
dough, but it is highly nutritiye. The
best way OF eating it is to cut it into
very thin slices, and eat these fried in
butter, or, if butter be not procurable,
in ground-nut oil, easily extracted from
the ArGchis hgpogga. Perhaps a sim
pie recipe for doing so might interest
intending African travellers who are
reading these pages. Take q bushel of
ripe ground-nuts that have previously
been dried in the sun, pound them to
pulp, and put them in q cauldron OF
boiling water. The oil will rise to the
surface, and can easily be skinned
off and put apart into a vessel The
residue is excellent fattening food for
81,
tinguishable from the best olive in taste.
Indeed, most of the olive oil we use in
Europe is nothing but the oil of ground
nuts. which are exported largely from
West African ports to Marseilles, to be
there manufactured and favored into
various salad oils christened by differ
ent names. This oil of ground-nuts is
excellent as kitchen grease and as a
lamp oil. will even give you another
recipe in which this substance may be
advantageously employed: Take q
quantity of sugar-canes, some nine or
ten sticks, peel them, cut them up into
small cubes and mash these to pulp,
straining off the abundant liquor into a
large pot. Put this over the fire to
boil, and at the end of an hour and q
half you will rejoice to find the sweet
syrup liquor reduced to q considerable
quantity of gluey barley sugar. If thi:
does not sufficiently gladden. the heart
| and you crave for something yet more
toothsome, mix a certain quantity Of
this thick sugar with ground-nut oil
further, blanche some ground-nuts anC
scatter them freely in the mess. Thi:
compound, if carefully cooked fol
about ten minutes, will produce TIT
most rayishing African toffee. Littl,
shifts and expedients like these serve
considerably to tighten the explorer
lot, and to render palatable many form
of native food.
| But to return to the native markets
Besides the articles of sale alread,
mentioned, sheep and goats are pres
ent, often in some quantity. The sheel
are tall, stout animals, nearly twice tn
size of the little sturdy goats, are hairy
and in the ram bear fine name iron
the chin to the stomach. | have al
ready referred to them when treating 0
Pallaballa as being the universal bree'
of Central Africa The further .soutl
l have seen this distinctly marke'
variety is on the Cunene River. Their
they mingle with the great Cape shee
whose tails often become so loade
with fat. The domestic goat of til
Congo is a small, short legged littl
beast, good to eat, and giving in til
female rich and abundant milk. Th
Congo sheep, by the by, makes execra
, BILE mutton In the markets there ar
; of course innumerable fowls to sell an
even at times Muscovy ducks. The lat
ter bird is another gift from rich Amer
lea to needy Africa and was introduce
into the West Coast, in common wit
maize, manioc, pine-apples, sugar-cane
ground-nuts and many other useful al
mentarv additions to African diet b
the Portuguese, to whom, in IN
opinion, Africa owes a deep debt {
p gratitude Nor ought we to forget thf
tits to this enterprising people that W
owe the first knowledge OF the te'
plant, the orange and the lime.
An African market with 50 man
commodities to sell, and so many cage
sellers and buyers, is most animate
scene. The din of voices may be heal
afar off, and when you enter the gre;
n open square, where, under the shac
0 of great trees, perhaps thousand PEI
8 pie are disposed in little ehafferin
groups round their heaps of wares,
Is worse than the parrot house at Il
t. Geological Gardens. The women al
the keenest traders. They haggle an
!. scream and eNpostulate and chuck
J, aside over their bargains, while tt
frulking men lounge about in GOO
humored listlessness, or squat in row
stolidly smoking Although the stri
of tongues is great, few real quarre
eI occur There is in most eases Chi
I'll of the market. perhaps an old Fetis
Y man, who regulates all disputes, al
d who so heavily fines both litigants tn;
FL all are chary of provoking his arbitr
l. ton. This Babel lasts but one da
:, and then for the rest of the week tt
" market-place is void and desolate; on
the old wicker baskets, banana-husk
corn shucks, feathers, and egg-shel
remain to witness the great assemblas
, that has taken place.
d OF such kind is the great mark
near Isangila, and there are simil'
Y gatherings at Manyanga, Lutete, al
in proximity to most of Mr.. Stanley
stations. Graphic.
4 False Pride.
q Some of the richest men in Aust
Etarted in life in a very modest wa