Life at Kisigait. 
331 
The people of Kisigau are by no means striking " 
in the ordinary sense of the term, but they certainly 
struck me as being below par. They are as a rule 
low in stature, unprepossessing in countenance, and 
unshapely in form. They have low, narrow, retreating 
foreheads; their cheek bones are high; their hps are 
out-turned and puffy, and most of them have prog- 
nathous jaws. Nearly all are ugly, some are hideous, 
and not one that I saw was really good-looking. 
Their hard work and mountain air seem to give 
them vigorous health; even the old men being hale 
and hearty. 
The men are, on the whole, superior to the women. 
Their dress is very scant. It is a small cloth, some- 
times twisted about their loins, and sometimes tied in 
a knot by two of its corners over one shoulder, and so 
allowed to hang loosely over the body. They shave 
the head from ear to ear, and also the nape of the 
neck, leaving the wool just where the monk would 
shave it off. This is twisted into strings, sometimes 
several inches in length, and is almost invariably 
plastered with grease, and coloured with red earth. 
They also anoint their bodies with oil, preferring that 
of the castor plant, if it can be obtained, but if not, 
taking whatever comes to hand. They wear a good 
many ornaments. The upper cartilages of the ears are 
pierced to admit several large rings of beads ; they 
wear beads and chains round their necks ; coils of 
brass and iron wire upon the upper part of their arms; 
while bracelets and anklets of iron, skin, horn, etc., 
are worn in great profusion by all. None of the 
males are without an appendage, made of a carefully 
rounded sheep or goat-skin, covering their hinder 
