HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS 



It is carried in an elaborate network of leather 

 thongs. Another interesting utensil is the milk-pail, 

 made from a single piece of giraffe skin cleverly sewn 

 together with a loop of the same leather on one side. 

 This is also thoroughly well smoked and greased, 

 so that it becomes quite watertight, and will last a 

 lifetime. When full to the brim, it holds seven pints 

 of milk, all but a few ounces. Their "herios" or 

 camel mats compare unfavourably with those made 

 by the Somali in quality, as also do their knives, 

 spears and sandals and the forked stick they use for 

 making or pulling apart the zariba. They do not 

 appear to be in the habit of wearing hair combs, and 

 I did not see any ghee spoons. They often carry 

 about with them, when near their village, a piece of 

 undressed ox-hide (which is therefore stiff and hard), 

 and this they use as a kind of screen or shelter from 

 the wind, which is often cold and damp at night. I 

 have never observed this among the Somali. 



The Borana are among-st the richest cattle-owners 

 in British East Africa, being second only to the 

 Masai ; they possess a few camels and donkeys, upon 

 which they pack their belongings when moving from 

 one locality to another. In addition, they own vast 

 flocks of fat-rumped sheep and large herds of goats. 

 But they will rarely kill any of their stock for food, 

 their principal diet being milk. I was told by my 

 headman that when one of their cattle is ill and likely 

 to die, they will cut its throat and eagerly drink the 

 blood as it pours forth, but as I never saw it done I 

 cannot vouch for the truth of this statement. They 

 are, however, extremely fond of "buni " when they can 

 get it, which is seldom : they told me that there was 

 a certain berry that grew in abundance in the Moyale 



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