236 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



ning. The material is sometimes indigo-dyed, at other 

 times unbleached cotton, which the Wasagara stain a 

 dull yellow. Cloth, however, is the clothing of the 

 wealthy. The poor content themselves with the calabash- 

 " campestre " or kilt, and with the softened skins of sheep 

 and goats. It is curious that in East Africa, where 

 these articles have from time immemorial been the 

 national dress, and where amongst some tribes hides 

 form the house, that the people have neither invented 

 nor borrowed the principles of rude tanning, even with 

 mimosa-bark, an art so well known to most tribes of 

 barbarians. Immediately after flaying, the stretched 

 skin is pegged, to prevent shrinking, inside upwards, in 

 the sun, and it is not removed till thoroughly cleansed 

 and dried. The many little holes in the margin give it 

 the semblance of ornamentation, and sometimes the hair 

 is scraped off, leaving a fringe two or three inches broad 

 around the edge : the legs and tail of the animal are 

 favourite appendages with " dressy gentlemen." These 

 skins are afterwards softened by trampling, and they 

 are vigorously pounded with clubs : after a few days' 

 w r ear, dirt and grease have almost done the duty of 

 tanning. The garb is tied over either shoulder by a bit 

 of cord or simply by knotting the corners ; it therefore 

 leaves one side of the body bare, and, being loose and 

 ungirt, it is at the mercy of every wind. On journeys 

 it is doffed during rain, and placed between the burden 

 and the shoulder, so that, arrived at the encamping 

 ground, the delicate traveller may have a " dry shirt." 



Women of the wealthier classes wear a tobe, or 

 double-length shukkah, tightly drawn under the arms, 

 so as to depress whilst it veils the bosom, and tucked in 

 at either side. Dark stuffs, indigo-dyed and Arab checks, 

 are preferred to plain white for the usual reasons. The 



