THE BANTU OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA 



it resembles that of the ancient Egyptians. Most of the head is covered with small stiff 

 ringlets, while what Burton called a curtain of pigtails hangs down behind. The warriors 

 fasten in their hair the feathers of vultures and bright-coloured birds. The lobes of the ear 

 are distended by the insertion of a disk of wood or metal; and this is carried to such a 

 length that the loop may touch the shoulder. The clothing consists of a cotton loin-cloth or 

 a kilt of softened goat-skin: the wealthier women, like the Suahili of the coast, wear a long 

 tobe, reaching up to the arm-pits, and fastened tightly down across the chest. 



Occupying the country for five marches west of the AVasagara are the AVagogo, a powerful 

 race, with most of the same characters. The distension of the ear-lobes is still more marked. 

 Burton describes them as "not an uncomely race; some of the younger race might even 

 lay claim to prettiness. The upper part of the face is often fine, but the lips are thick 

 and the mouth coarse; similarly the body is well formed to the haunches, but the lean calf 

 is placed peculiarly high up the leg. The expression of the countenance, even in the 

 women, is wild and angry; and the round eyes are often reddened and bleared by drink. 

 The voice is strong, strident, and commanding." The members of this tribe are inquisitive 

 and bullying, but hospitable. They are expert thieves and very lazy, getting all the work of 

 their fields done by slaves. 



Their clothing is more elaborate than that of their eastern neighbours, but their 

 ornaments of brass wire, beads, and ivory armlets are much the same. Their chief weapon 

 is the spear, which has a long and broad head, and a long tubular neck for the insertion 

 of the handle. Two-edged swords, broader near the end, and bows and barbed arrows are also 

 carried. The huts, as usual in this district, are square, and divided up by partitions into 

 several rooms. 



3. THE BANTU OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 

 THE SUAHILI. 



The eastern part of British East Africa is occupied by a series of Bantu peoples of many 

 different tribes, of which we may consider four examples as types of the rest. On the coast 

 is the race of the Suahili, who range on the mainland from Somaliland to German East 

 Africa, and occupy the off-lying islands from Patta near Lamu to Zanzibar. The Suahili are 



Photo by Mr. Ernest Gedge] 



A GROUP OF SUK. 



