CH. v] SOMALIS, KIKL YUS, AND MASAI 105 



were massive with copper and iron bracelets, had been 

 given a blanket because he had no other garment ; he 

 got along quite well with the blanket, excepting when 

 he had to use the lawn-mower, and then he would 

 usually wrap the blanket around liis neck, and handle 

 the lawn-mower with the evident feeling that he had 

 done all that the most exacting conventionalism could 

 require. 



The house-boys and gun-bearers, and most of the 

 boys who took care of the liorses, were Somalis, whereas 

 the cattle-keepers who tended the herds of cattle were 

 Masai, and the men and women who worked in the 

 fields were Kikuyus. The three races had nothing to do 

 with one another, and the few Indians had nothing to 

 do with any of them. The Kikuyus lived in their 

 beehive huts scattered in small groups ; the Somalis all 

 dwelt in tlieir own little village on one side of the 

 farm, and half a mile off the Masai dwelt in their 

 village. Both the Somalis and Masai were fine, daring 

 fellows ; the Somalis were Mohammedans and horse- 

 men ; the Masai were cattle-herders, who did their work 

 as they did their fighting, on foot, and were wild 

 heathen of the most martial type. They looked care- 

 fully after the cattle, and were delighted to join in 

 the chase of dangerous game, but regular work they 

 thoroughly despised. Sometimes when we had gathered 

 a mass of Kikuyus or of our own porters together to do 

 some job, two or three Masai would stroll up to look on 

 with curiosity, sword in belt and great spear in hand ; 

 their features were well cut, their hair curiously plaited, 

 J and they had the erect carriage and fearless bearing that 

 (naturally go with a soldierly race. 



AVithin the house, with its bedrooms and dining- 

 room, its library and drawing-room, and the cool, 



