FINES IMPOSED IN KIKUYULAND 



359 



There is no one ruler of tlie whole of Kikuyuland, nor, 

 indeed, of separate districts, though perhaps the two head 

 leibons may be looked upon as representative of the entire 

 population. Each valley is independent of every other, and 

 has four elders of its own, namely one Samaki or chief, one 

 deputy chief, one leibon, and 

 one lygonani. As amongst the 

 Masai, the last named, who is 

 generally an old warrior, is the 

 spokesman in council and the 

 leader in war, but his actual 

 power is very small according 

 to European notions. 



It is the business of the 

 Samaki to see that punishment 

 is administered in case of 

 crime, and amongst the penal- 

 ties inflicted are the following. 

 If murder or manslaughter 

 has been committed, a fine 

 of 100 oxen must be paid, 

 the relations of the guilty 

 man helping if necessary. A 

 Mkikuyu has the right of 

 life and death over his own 

 slaves, but if he kills one be- 

 longing to another he is fined 

 four oxen, which is a note- 

 worthy fact, as the price of a 



living slave is seldom more than a couple of sheep. For 

 every sheep or oxen stolen, ten have to be given back, but 

 if a number of men combine to carr}^ off an ox, each one 

 need pay one only, and if a man is detected in theft and 



AN OLD-FASHIONED KIKUYU SHIELD. 



