250 THROUGH MAS AIL AND TO THE BORDEES OF KIKUYU 



his back, and is supplemented by a deep collar or cape 

 of black vultures' feathers, whilst his face is framed in an 

 extraordinary head-dress of ostrich feathers stuck in a band 

 of leather. Thus adorned he dashes on with diabolical cries, 

 his shield in his left hand and in the right his uplifted spear. 

 Such an apparition strikes terror into the hearts of the natives, 

 and at its approach they flee without coming to blows at all. 

 But those who see in a Masai moran only a fantastically got-up 

 savage have really no cause for fear. 



When a moran has had enough of life in the warrior kraal, 

 or when his father dies and he becomes his heir, he marries 

 and settles down into a moruo. He buys as many wives as his 

 stock of cattle will permit, for he does not marry for love, but 

 to secure servants to work for him. He lays aside the manners 

 of a warrior, and becomes a quiet and peaceful member of 

 society. An outward sign of the inward change which has 

 come over him is the wearing of a huge spiral ear ornament 

 made of thick brass wire. His fine long spear and beautiful 

 shield he perhaps gives to his younger brother, or he changes 

 each for a cow, for every weapon a Moran has used is worth a 

 cow to any of his brothers. He himself is henceforth content 

 with a common spear, or with a bow and arrow. He may now 

 indulge in a varied diet, and can eat beans, bananas from 

 Kikuyu or Kilimanjaro, drink beer, and smoke tobacco or 

 chew it mixed with natron salt, called mahate. He may also 

 eat other meat than beef, but he does not care for it much. 



The Masai bore the ear-lobes and stretch them out as far as 

 possible, beginning their cultivation quite early in life. Some- 

 times, too, they break off one or two of the incisor teeth. Girls 

 are often tattooed about the body and breast, deep wounds 

 being inflicted in the process. 



The hair is all carefully removed except from the head. 

 Young Masai, especially the women, cling to the kid-skin 



