CH. u] THE \V AKAMBA 35 



as our Indians were formidable when they went on the 

 war-path. The ranch country I first visited was in 

 what was once the domain of the W'akamba, and in the 

 greater part of it the tribes still dA\ ell. They are in 

 most ways primitive savages, with an im])erfect and 

 feeble social, and therefore military, organization ; they 

 live in small communities under their local chiefs ; they 

 file their teeth, and though they wear blankets in the 

 neighbourhood of the whites, these blankets are often 

 cast aside ; even when the blanket is worn, it is often 

 in such fashion as merely to accentuate the otherwise 

 absolute nakedness of both sexes. Yet these savages are 

 cattle-keepers and cattle-raisers, and the women do a 

 good deal of simple agricultural work ; unfortunately, 

 they are wastefully destructive of the forests. The chief 

 of each little village is recognized as the ofhcial head- 

 man by the British official, is given support, and is 

 required to help the authorities keep peace and stamp 

 out cattle disease — the two most important functions of 

 government so far as the Wakamba themselves are 

 concerned. All the tribes have their herds of black, 

 brown, and white goats, of mottled sheep, and especially 

 of small humped cattle. The cattle form their pride 

 and joy. During the day each herd is accompanied by 

 the herdsmen, and at night it is driven within its boma, 

 or circular fence of thorn-bushes. Except for the milk, 

 which they keep in their foul, smoky calabashes, tlie 

 natives really make no use of their cattle ; they do not 

 know how to work them, and they never eat them even 

 in time of starvation. When there is prolonged drought, 

 and consequent failure of crops, the foolish creatures die 

 by the hundreds when they might readily be saved if 

 they were willing to eat the iierds which they persist in 

 treating as ornaments rather than as made for use. 



