I02 THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



reserves they can graze their cattle and wander at liberty, but outside they 

 have no rights, and inside no white man or native of another tribe has the 

 right to settle or graze cattle. When the Masai agreed to remove themselves, 

 so as not to clash with white settlers, from certain lands of which they were 

 then in possession, these reserves were given to them and their descendants for 

 all time. This was in recognition of the ready way they agreed to remove 

 themselves from certain lands which were required by settlers. That these 

 Masai reserves also form admirable game reserves is another very happy state of 

 affairs. They are almost identical with the northern and southern game reserves, 

 and these two reserves between them contain representatives of a greater 

 proportion of the species of game to be found in British East Africa. 



Presumably the game and their descendants may, like the Masai, remain there 

 for all time, and, unless the Masai change their habits very considerably, the 

 game is safe from interference at their hands, besides which there can be no 

 valid excuse for restricting or abolishing these reserves on the plea that the land 

 is required for other purposes. 



It is easy to foresee that at some future date attacks will be made on the 

 Government or other responsible bodies with a view to the abolishment of any 

 game reserve not so indisputably bound up, on the grounds that the land is required 

 for settlers. It will be argued that game is being preserved at the expense of 

 would-be settlers out of work, or that white men are being starved for the sake 

 of the preservation of game. The agreement giving preserves to the Masai 

 precludes any chance of these lands ever being settled over and denuded of game, 

 for before such could take place it would be necessary to seriously break faith 

 with these people. 



The southern game reserve practically coincides with the southern Masai 

 reserve, but only a small part of the northern game reserve is Masai reserve, the 

 rest of it being outside the administrated portions of the Protectorate. However, 

 in this portion of the northern game reserve outside the administrated parts of 

 British East Africa live several stockkeeping tribes of very similar habits to the 

 Masai. When these territories are taken over it will be necessary to make reserves 

 for such tribes as the Rendile and Samburu, and there is no reason why these 

 reserves should not likewise be game reserves, and thus ensure from extermination 

 such northern game animals as differ from the southern. The Masai, from the 

 manner in which they spread themselves over the country, are met with in localities 

 far apart, and thus give one the impression of their race being numerically stronger 

 than it really is. Almost wherever there are plains, there also may the zarebas 



