There is perhaps no article of food more utterly hateful to the Kaffir than the flesh of the crocodile, and it is doubtful whether even the pangs of starvation would induce a Zulu Kaffir to partake of such food, or to hold friendly intercourse with any one who had done so. An amusing instance of this innate horror of the crocodile occurred some years ago. An European settler, new to the country, had shot a crocodile, and having heard much of the properties possessed by the fat of the reptile, he boiled some of its flesh for the purpose of obtaining it. Unfortunately for him, the only vessel at hand was an iron pot, in which his Kaffir servants were accustomed to cook their food, and, thinking no harm, he used the pot for his purpose. He could not have done anything more calculated to shock the feelings of the Kaffirs, who deserted him in a body, leaving the polluted vessel behind them. It has already been mentioned that none but a Kaffir can either drive or milk the native cattle, and the unfortunate colonist was obliged to visit all the kraals within reach in order to hire new servants. But the news had spread in all directions, that the white man cooked crocodile in his porridge pot, and not a single Kaffir would serve him. At last he was forced to go to a considerable distance, and visited a kraal which he thought was beyond the reach of rumor. The chief man received him hospitably, promised to send one of his “boys” as a servant, and volunteered permission to beat the “boy” if he were disobedient. He finished by saying that he only made one stipulation, and that was, that the “boy” in question should not be obliged to eat crocodile. It will be understood that these peculiarities regarding food apply only to the Zulu tribe, and that, even in that tribe, great modifications have taken place in later years. CHAPTER XVI. SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS. THE UNIVERSAL LOVE OF TOBACCO -- SNUFFING AND SMOKING -- HOW A KAFFIR MAKES HIS SNUFF -- HOW A KAFFIR TAKES SNUFF -- THE SNUFF SPOON, ITS FORMS, AND MODE OF USING IT -- ETIQUETTE OF SNUFF TAKING -- BEGGING AND GIVING SNUFF -- COMPARISON WITH OUR ENGLISH CUSTOM -- DELICACY OF THE KAFFIR’S OLFACTORY NERVES -- VARIOUS FORMS OF SNUFF BOX -- THE EAR BOX -- THE SINGULAR BLOOD BOX -- A KAFFIR’S CAPACITY FOR MODELLING -- GOURD SNUFF BOX -- THE KAFFIR AND HIS PIPE -- PIPE LOVERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD -- A SINGULAR INLAID PIPE -- THE WATER PIPE OF THE KAFFIR -- HEMP, OR DAGHA, AND ITS OPERATION ON THE SYSTEM -- THE POOR MAN’S PIPE -- CURIOUS ACCOMPANIMENT OF SMOKING -- MAJOR ROSS KING’S SMOKING ADVENTURE -- CULTIVATION AND PREPARATION OF TOBACCO.