BANTU NEGROES 009 



game and erect their nets in long lines, supporting them by means 

 of canes. Some of the men cut a few branches and place them in such 

 a position on the opposite side of the net from that on which the drive 

 takes place that they may hide behind the brushwood. A considerable 

 section of the party is then sent out to drive the game towards the nets, 

 which they do by shouting, blowing horns, setting their dogs to bark, 

 and beating the grass. The frightened animals flee before this noisy 

 crowd in the direction of the nets, and when they are brought up by these 

 obstructions the negroes who are hidden under the brushwood at the 

 back of the net rise up and despatch them with spears. Occasionally 

 lions and leopards are driven up with the rest of the game, but these 

 are ordinarily allowed to escape by the Bairo, though a Muhima will 

 fearlessly approach and spear these fierce beasts. 



Besides these hunts on a large scale with nets, pitfalls are dug and 

 are covered with twigs and grass. Converging fences of branches are 

 constructed leading to these pitfalls as the only exit, and drives take 

 place to urge the game towards them. Slip-knots hung from the branches 

 of trees are also used as snares; and the weighted harpoon suspended 

 point downwards over the track of elephants, hippopotamuses, or buffaloes 

 is also in use, though it does not seem to be a very successful device. 



The Bairo build their houses singly or in groups in or near their 

 plantations. The hut is very similar in appearance to that of the peasant 

 in Uganda, with an untidy haycock roof coming nearly down to the ground 

 and a low doorway. Inside there is little or no attempt at division by 

 screens, nor is there much furniture. Very often the only bed is a skin 

 spread on the floor. 



In the vicinity of Lake Albert Edward the Bairo construct canoes which 

 are almost square in shape, like square tubs. They are made of thin, hard 

 boards — boards that are split and adzed — sewn together with the tendons 

 of animals. The paddles are about four feet long, more than half of which 

 is a narrow blade. 



The agriculturcd implements of the Bairo are hoes (heart-shaped with 

 an iron tail, which is made to pass through a hole in the end of the wooden 

 handle and is secured by means of wedges), a sickle with a long handle, 

 axes with blades about an inch and a half broad, and small pointed knives. 

 The weapons of the Bairo are poorly made spears, bows and arrows, and 

 clubs of hard wood. The Bairo do a little smelting and welding of iron. 

 They make poor pottery and weave grass mats. 



When a young Muiro wishes to marry, he presents the father of the 

 girl with ten grass bundles containing flour, several jars of beer (made 

 either from sorghum or from fermented bananas), and a number of sheep, 

 accordincr to his means. After the bride is conducted to her husband's 



