THE ETHIOPIAN RACE. 



215 



and meat. Children when hungry, help themselves by direct appli- 

 cation to the cow. Cattle are killed by piercing the spine; numbers 

 of them everyday, until each family is supplied. The M'Kuafi have 

 no fixed meal-times; but they eat whenever they feel inclined, invit- 

 ing their neighbours of the same village to partake with them. Each 

 family has its own cattle, which all go to pasture together, and outside 

 the town is a place to receive them at night. The men marry as 

 many women as they please; and each wife has a separate house. 

 These habitations are tents of bullock-skin, supported by poles set 

 around. The men decorate themselves with large beads; and their 

 dress is made of skin, and consists of a painted cincture full of openings 

 and hanging strips, and of a long cloak worn over one shoulder. Cloth, 

 however, is now brought by traders. The women, by way of ornament, 

 coil brass wire about the arm as far as the elbow. Tlie beads and brass 

 wire, are procured at Pemba, by selling ivory ; obtained from elephants, 

 some of which are found dead, while others are purposely killed." 



" The M'Kuafi do not bury, but they put their dead in the bush, for 

 the wild beasts to eat. The friends afterwards cry from ten to twenty 

 days, and then kill three bullocks and make a feast. The M'Kuafi 

 have neither prayers, nor religion, but they eat and sleep. The name 

 of their Deity, is Angayai ; and on some big days, they take feathers 

 and dance. They have cows, goats, donkeys, sheep, and dogs; but 

 neither cats, nor horses. They take ofll:" the fieece of the sheep, and 

 spin yarn; with which they sew the skins together. They have 

 gourd-shells for holdino^ water, which are bou<iht of the Chaga. 

 They go out to fight with the Mussai, frequently, sometimes every 

 day; and they take cattle; they fight also witli the Wampugo and 

 the Wataita, but not with the Chaga. The country of the M'Kuafi, 

 consists of mountains and plains, and produces some trees which 

 supply tentpoles, but there are no fruits. Persons while sleeping, are 

 sometimes eaten by leopards." 



On another occasion, the same girl brought two of her companions; 

 and they sung together some simple and plaintive airs, such as are 

 used "in getting children to sleep." Their dancing, was not graceful; 

 but was somewhat violent, and not altog-ether decent. Their lanfTuag[e 

 was soft; and I heard terminal vowels oidy, the two syllables 'goonga' 

 frequently recurring. I read to them some translations in the Galla ; 

 but this ])roved to be a different language, and they did not recog- 

 nise a word. On being questioned on the subject, the first girl said, 

 "she did not wish to return home, for her relations were all dead;" 



