MASAI, TUBKANA, SUK, NANDI, ETC. 



819 



medicine derived from, herbs is mixed with it. The Masai women and 

 old married men eat pretty much what they like, and are allowed to 

 smoke tobacco ; but daring pregnancy the women rarely touch meat, 

 consuming at that time enormous quantities of butter and milk. They 

 also, when in this condition, eat fat, and believe that these oily substances 

 will lubricate the passages and make delivery easier. Honey is eaten by 

 every one who can get it. By mixing a little water with the honey an 

 intoxicating mead is made, which is much drunk by the old men. 



456. SPEAKS OF MASAI WARBIOKS. (SOME OF THE MEX ARE PLATING THE GAME OF 

 DRAUGHTS, ILLUSTRATED ON P. 795) 



The foregoing remarks about food apply mainly to the pastoral Masai; 

 the agricultural section does not hold quite so rigidly to its special 

 observances for the food of the young men as distinguished from that of 

 the elders or the women; and as these people are industrious agriculturists 

 and rear large crops of grain, pumpkins, and beans, their diet is largely 

 of vegetable substances, though they are as fond of meat as their pastoral 

 kinsmen and enemies. 



Anmng the pastoral Masai only the women and the married men are 

 allowed ti> smoke tobacco. Some of the elder men take tobiceo mixed 

 with potash as snuff. 



The iceapons of the Masai consist of spears and shields, hows and 



