THE NATIVES OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA 



rinderpest killed off many thousands of their stock, so that 

 to-day the tribe is not nearly as wealthy as it used to be. 

 In former days they simply took from neighboring tribes, 

 after bloody fights, what they wanted, but to-day they do 

 not dare to attempt any more raidings, as they are well 

 aware of the authority of the white man with his destruc- 

 tive firearms. 



The Masai generally live in villages composed of a 

 great number of huts, most of which are built closely to- 

 gether, and form either an oval or a circle. The backs of 

 the huts are turned outward, and so form a wall, which is 

 often strengthened and perfected by an almost impene- 

 trable hedge of thorns. This wall is a safeguard against 

 intruders of all kinds. The doors, or rather openings, of 

 the houses are on the inside, facing each other, and the 

 houses themselves are built of branches of trees and twigs 

 which have been put together like a kind of open basket- 

 work. When this is done the whole hut is coated over 

 with layers of cow-dung mixed with clay, which makes it 

 almost absolutely fire-and-wind proof. Most of the houses 

 have no openings whatever besides the " door," so that 

 almost all the smoke from the fire remains in the hut, caus- 

 ing different troubles to the eyes of the occupants. This 

 is also the case with all the other tribes in East Africa. 



The Masai do not cultivate the ground, but live almost 

 exclusively from the products of their cattle, sheep and 

 goats. They are very fond of good meat and fresh milk. 

 This latter is poured into gourds which are cleaned out 

 with a solution of charcoal, cows' urine and water, making 

 the milk brought in an ordinary Masai gourd almost un- 

 drinkable for a white man. 



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