THE WAKIKUYU AND WAKAMBA 



enlarged by gradually inserting bigger pieces of 

 wood from time to time, till they stretch five inches 

 or so, and when not filled with ornaments, or jam 

 pots, they tie the loose bottom edge in a knot and 

 put it over the top in a most weird-looking manner. 

 One boy took great pride in letting us look at a 

 heavy piece of wood like a marrow bone he con- 

 stantly wore in the lower lobe of his ear, mean- 

 while pulling the edge round to his mouth and just 

 managing to stick the tip of his tongue through it ! 

 The most common ornament is a hoUowed-out 

 piece of wood with concave outer-edge for the ear 

 to fit in. 



The women are dressed in roughly tanned skins 

 like the Masai ladies, but without their heavy coils 

 of wire. Instead they wear dozens of what look 

 like bead bangles in their ears, and small pieces of 

 cane in the top edge, sticking out at right angles ; 

 also innumerable necklaces of chains and beads, 

 and other chains falling from their ears ; and some- 

 times beautifully beaded leather girdles round their 

 waists. 



These ladies brought mtama (a native seed) 

 and maize to me for my boy to buy as food for my 

 chickens. I have watched the transaction, an un- 

 noticed observer ; a small half gourd was used as a 

 measure which my boy filled and then overfilled 

 by adding a little more to rest against his hand. 

 Of course the woman would object and a great 



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