THE WAKIKUYU AND WAKAMBA 



The ordinary men wear very scanty garments, 

 generally only a cloth down their back, over one, 

 and under the other shoulder. They like a number 

 of bead necklaces, chiefly blue, white, and black, 

 and fine iron chains with charms attached, particu- 

 larly the tips of goats' horns, which they do not 

 much care to sell, so I think they look upon them 

 as bringing good luck. Among other Kikuyu 

 charms suspended by chains, I have noticed lions' 

 or leopards' claws, pieces of metal like coins, a 

 rupee with a hole in it, and bead and wire orna- 

 ments of copper or iron made by themselves. They 

 have brass wire twisted so tightly round their upper 

 arm that I wonder their hands do not swell, for the 

 flesh bulges over on the top and bottom of the 

 ornament. On their wrists they wear bangles of 

 the same. From round pieces of ivory they have 

 small chains hanging through a hole in the middle ; 

 these are very fashionable, and they do not like 

 parting with them. The richer ones smear their 

 bodies in the same way as the Masai, with red clay 

 and oil, and carry weapons made in much the same 

 manner. 



As I passed through Kikuyu station on one oc- 

 casion, I saw two Kikuyu braves come to watch the 

 train, dressed in brilliant red clay and oil, one with 

 a small cloth hanging under one arm and fastened 

 over the right shoulder, the other with a skin ar- 

 ranged the same way and beaded along the edge. 



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