BANTU NEGEOES 



629 



small pieces and mixed with charcoal. The forging furnace is blown by 

 bellows, which are somewhat different from those used by surrounding 

 negro tribes. There is a 

 long mouthpiece of baked 

 clay or of drilled stone 

 which goes into the char- 

 coal fire. Into the broad 

 outer end of this is in- 

 serted a long pipe, which 

 is somewhat ingeniously 

 made of corn-stalks or 

 reeds, tied tightly by 

 parallel bands into a 

 strong pipe. This is 

 made air-tight by re- 

 peated coatings of wet 

 clay or kaolin. To the 

 further end of this tube 

 is fitted, not the bellows 

 made of goatskin or 

 banana leaves in general 

 use amongst the Negroes, 

 but a pot of baked clay, 

 one side of which is 

 furnished with a long 

 spout, into which is fitted 

 a long cylinder of reeds. 

 A skin is stretched over 

 the top of the pot, and 

 in the centre of this skin 

 is fastened an upright 

 stick. The man who 

 blows the bellows squats 

 on the ground and works 

 the stick and the skin 

 up and down. 



A great deal of beauti- 

 ful basketwork is done 

 by the Bahima. Some 



of this work is woven so fine as to be able to contain milk without 

 leakage. Milk is also kept in wooden vessels hollowed out from the 

 solid block, and also in finely shaped clay vessels usually coloured black 



351. HI5IA " BEER " POT IN BLACKENED CLAY 



