HATR-DRESSING. 211 



number of little platted tails, or with these plaits folded up 

 and formed into a series of little knots, and symmetrically 

 arranged round the head. But as soon as Eadama had adopted 

 the military tactics of the English he had his hair cut short, 

 and ordered that all his officers and soldiers should adopt the 

 same fashion. This command produced quite a disturbance 

 among the women of the capital, who assembled in great 

 numbers to protest against the King's orders. But after being 

 surrounded with troops the leaders were cruelly speared, and 

 with hardly less cruelty the rest were kept three days with- 

 out food or shelter, to teach them not to meddle with political 

 matters. From that time until the present the short hair, 

 with a slight tuft or topknot over the forehead, has been the 

 mark of the military class, while the bdrizdno or civilians 

 have their hair platted and arranged as already described, just, 

 in fact, as the Hova women have. But the law is continually 

 allowed to fall into disuse, and the men generally like to keep 

 their hair short, and wear the broad-brimmed straw hat which 

 is used by the military. 



The Hova women have long and straight glossy black hair, 

 but there are a number of people who have stronger and 

 crisper curling hair, which is called ngita. No one dresses 

 her own hair; this is always done by another, and the 

 mistresses will often do this service for their slaves. It is 

 generally a matter of two or three hours' work, the operator 

 having a couple of vessels at her side, one filled with water 

 and the other with melted fat or suet. Holding a small 

 bodkin-like instrument of bone in one hand, and a kind of 

 brush made of strong grass stalks in the other, the hair is 

 sy mm etrically arranged on each side in from twenty to thirty 

 braids, there being always one on the crown of the head. 

 This is extremely neat in appearance, although a little stiff 

 and formal. When mourning or at a funeral, the hair is 

 always unbraided and allowed to fall dishevelled over the 

 shordders. At the death of a sovereign the whole population, 

 male and female, are obliged to shave the head and keep it 

 shaved during a certain period, often extending over several 

 months. 



Young children have their hair cut very short, it being 



