MOOSAH'S COW-HERDS. 423 



their laps. By seven o'clock the whole place was swept clean. Some of the 

 household fed the game fowls, or looked after the ducks and pigeons ; two 

 women, chained by the neck, fetched firewood, or ground corn at a stone ; 

 children would eat together without dispute, because a matron presided over 

 them; all were quiet, industrious beings, never idle, and as happy as the 

 day was long. When any of Moosah's wives gave birth to a child there was 

 universal rejoicing; the infant was brought to show its sex ; and when one 

 died, the shrill laments of the women were heard all night long. When a 

 child misbehaved, our white men were pointed at to frighten it, as nurses at 

 home too often do with ghost stories. 



" The most important functionary about this court was the head keeper, or 

 Foondee, who had been a slave all his life, and now possessed a village, with 

 a farm and cattle. His daily duty was to sit within sight of his master. On 

 Speke calling to see his collection of horses, and extract a bullet from the leg 

 of one of his slaves, the Foondee made us heartily welcome. Stools were placed, 

 and in gratitude for the operation he produced some ripe plantain, and showed 

 us about his premises. He also took us to one of his favourite shooting- 

 grounds, where he certainly knew how to make himself comfortable. His 

 servants had constructed for him a most luxurious waterproof hut, with broad 

 stripes of freshly-cut bark, and a capital bedstead of boughs. At night five 

 fires were kept burning round him to keep off the mosquitoes. The grate was 

 most original : three stout pegs of green wood, driven into the ground, forming 

 an equilateral triangle, answered every purpose of an iron utensil, and in it a 

 frying-pan, made of bark, frizzled mushrooms and meat to the chief's satis- 

 faction. By his own account, he had shot many lions from trees ; and during 

 the march to and from Zanzibar, with his master's property, he, with a staff 

 of under-keepers, used to supply the porters with rations from wild animals, 

 which plan saved the expenditure of bead-money. He had many sporting 

 stories. The Hon, he said, seldom killed men ; but, not long ago, he had 

 jumped the wall of the building, and killed five cows, two of which he 

 dragged over the wall — the natives fearing to impede his course. 



Moosah's cow-herds were a very interesting set of people — so well 

 featured, tall, and generally superior to the Africans, that I took great 

 interest in them. They were Watusi, from Karague. There were ten men 

 and women, all with woolly hair — the men leaving a crescent of it unshaved. 

 Their gums were blackened with a preparation from the tamarind-seed, 

 powdered, roasted, and mixed into a paste with blue vitriol, and afterwards 

 heated until fit for use. Their ornaments were large, solid rings of brass 

 upon the wrists, and iron rings, in masses, on their ankles. In walking, they 

 carried a bow and arrow, a staff, and long-stemmed pipe. The women were 

 of a large stamp, with fine oval faces, and erect figures, clad in well-dressed 

 cow-skin, from above the waists to their small feet. Their huts were quite 



