CHAPTER VII 



CHKISTMAS CUSTOMS AND OTHEES 



All's greeting — our new quarters — wild animals visit us — fleas — 

 rains — our Christmas — my gardener — snakes. 



The day after Ramathan, or the month of fasting 

 for Mohammedans, is their big day, " Siku Kiuu " 

 they call it, and then they all make merry. 



After our tea the Indian master-tailor of the 

 regiment and the manager of the canteen arrived 

 with a boy loaded with a tray full of fruit and vege- 

 tables ; oranges, mangoes, pine-apples, bananas, 

 carrots, beet-root, cabbages, lettuces, and last but 

 not least, a saddle of mutton, as a present. Later 

 on Ali came to me and said a lot of Swahili which 

 I did not understand ; I heard bursts of laughter 

 from Baruku who was somewhere near, so I called 

 him in to explain, and he said Ali wished " to make 

 Christmas with me ! " I was perfectly willing, and 

 asked how we were supposed to do it. He then 

 explained we were to wish each other a happy 

 Christmas or the equivalent, and I added a happy 

 New Year. Then Ali departed much confused. 

 The little ceremony was rather spoilt by my not 

 yet understanding enough Swahili. 



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