GLIMPSES OF EAST AFRICA AND ZANZIBAR 



that reason they never could keep many cattle on 

 the fertile pastures below. They have a great 

 idea of doing business, and now keep quantities of 

 fowls and supply the Nairobi market with eggs 

 and chickens. Boys often came round to me with 

 baskets full of chickens, the small chicken of the 

 country, for eight annas each. I used to buy 

 four or five at a time and feed them up, as 

 they never had much flesh on their bones, for they 

 have usually to get their own living to a great 

 extent. 



Unimportant people when dead form meals for 

 the hyaenas, but chiefs and important persons are 

 buried in their huts, and the wife in front of the 

 door ; then the hut is no longer used. 



The boys have their top front teeth filed into 

 points ; it is said that the custom originated when 

 they were cannibals, as most cannibal tribes file 

 their teeth. Burton in his book says, " the Wadoe 

 are reported by all to have learned cannibalism dur- 

 ing their wars with the Wakamba ". 



However, I asked an Akamba boy why his teeth 

 were filed and he said he did not know, so I told 

 him it was because he ate " watoto " (children) ; this 

 he denied amidst peals of laughter from the other 

 boys. Though I tried several times, I never obtained 

 a reason from him. 



He was a dirty, wild sort of boy, with a tre- 



110 



