16 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



the Wakamba, gave me many interesting details 

 abont these curious people. 



The government, I learned, is in the hands of 

 the Wazee, or old men, one of whose privileges 

 seems to be the right to get drunk on tembu as 

 often and as thoroughly as they choose. 



Every married man has his thorn boma or kraal, 

 in which are the huts of his wives (naturally one 

 hut to each). The bachelors are nobodies, and 

 have no say in anything. Murder is looked upon 

 as a theft merely, and the murderer has to pay 

 the value of his victim to the latter' s nearest 

 relations. If any person approaches a kraal at 

 night, it is the correct thing to shoot him at sight 

 without inquiry. They have a curious, obstinate 

 appearance, but they seem to have been very 

 badly treated by one of Mr. Ainsworth's pre- 

 decessors. Now, however, they are most friendly, 

 and brought into the fort while I was there a 

 ton of flour, and asked him to let them know 

 when he wanted more ! One can scarcely esti- 

 mate the good that Mr. Ainsworth has done 

 amongst these people. He has stopped inter- 

 tribal fighting, kept off the Masai, and by a 

 system of isolation prevented the cattle disease 

 from entering the country. He has also induced 

 them to carry the mail and loads and is training 

 a kind of militia in view of the Masai. 



Their country is full of little valleys with per- 

 manent running streams, and is well cultivated, 



