iv THE MASAI 37 



honesty and honour are held in esteem among his 

 countrymen. On such a question as this such a man 

 was not likely to take the line of least resistance, and 

 indeed it was in pursuance of his policy that his 

 resignation was enforced. Sir Charles Eliot gave out 

 to white applicants certain farms in the district over 

 which the Masai were accustomed to roam. The 

 Home authorities, disregarding the fact that they 

 themselves in the same territory were giving a grant 

 of many times the area to a private company, ordered 

 him to cancel the concessions. Sir Charles, in reply, 

 pointed out that he had given his word in a matter in 

 which he was certainly entitled to pledge it. The 

 Government refused to give way, and sooner than 

 break his promise the Commissioner sent in his resigna- 

 tion. One cannot but feel that when a man sacrifices 

 his career, sooner than a question of principle, his 

 opinion is entitled to more than ordinary respect. 



The essence of the problem seems to come to this : 

 here we have a people who, beautiful to look at and in 

 some ways attractive in character, have as far as we 

 know never been of any use to any living soul. Like 

 ravening beasts, they have lived on the weakness of 

 their neighbours, amongst whom they were classed 

 with pestilence, famine, and disease. Have this 

 people any inherent right to be conserved in this 

 condition ? Have we not rather a duty to execute by 

 leading them, or forcing them, to be of some economic 

 use, or perish ? I conceive that it is some sentimental 

 feeling which says : " You are preserving the wild 

 fauna of the country in its pristine condition ; will you 

 withhold the same privilege to the Masai ? " If it were 

 possible, which I deny, to treat wild animals on the 

 basis of even the lowest of humanity, one might retort ; 



