50 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



food. I have always thought that it would be a 

 matter of common fairness at such times to levy a tax 

 on the native-owned cattle to pay for this relief. A 

 Kikuyu, though not so certainly as a Masai, would 

 generally prefer to die than to part with a head of 

 stock. 



The tribe suffers dreadfully from venereal disease, 

 and terrible sights are to be seen throughout their 

 territory. It is sad to reflect that before the coming of 

 civilisation they were absolutely clean of this scourge. 

 They owe its ravages entirely to the Indians, by whom 

 it was introduced. 



After death, except in the case of the upper ten, 

 the disposal of the bodies is left entirely to the 

 hyaenas ; in my opinion rather a nasty form of 

 funeral. 



The Kikuyu arts and crafts consist of a little rough 

 pottery and iron work. 



I notice that when an ethnologist describes a tribe 

 with which he has made himself personally acqainted, 

 he is apt to follow Mr. Jorrocks' advice with regard to 

 horses and be " to their faults a little blind and to 

 their virtues ever kind." He will generally have you 

 believe that a native's faults are all on the surface, 

 and when after much search you get to know him he, 

 the native, is one solid mass of virtues. Thus Mr. 

 Routledge, who has written the standard work on 

 this tribe, and a most excellent book it is, has dis- 

 covered that really the Kikuyu is practically without 

 fault. I think most employers of labour will agree 

 with me that the skill with which these merits are 

 concealed is worthy of a better cause. To speak 

 candidly, they are a most unattractive race, and with 

 the exception of their fecundity and a certain amount 



