Life at Kisigau. 
333 
behind, is tucked a leathern apron something Hke a 
blacksmith s, only much smaller. A piece is taken 
out of the centre, leaving at the corners two long tails 
which fall down the legs ; these tails being adorned 
v/ith a facing of beads, frequently all white, sometimes 
with other kinds, but, when there is a variety, never 
arranged with any taste. Some of them wear in 
addition a greasy cloth round their shoulders. Their 
arms are adorned with coils of iron and brass wire, 
like the men; while around their ankles and below 
their knees tightly fitting bands of beads are worn, 
often so deep as to leave not more than two inches of 
the bulging calf exposed. Oil and red ochre are also 
fashionable with them ; and they are fond, too, of 
their mother earth. At any time they had rather 
wallow in the dust than dip in a tub. They do not 
believe in water, except for cooking and drinking 
purposes. Altogether their tout ensemble is of the 
most unattractive kind. 
The government of Kisigau is of the loosest kind. 
It is that of Israel when there was no king, and every 
man did that which was right in his own eyes. The 
chieftainship is a mere nominal dignity, its authority 
and emoluments being almost niL The former chief, 
Mauya, was, according to Muachania, a man of in- 
fluence on account of his being a great mganga 
(sorcerer, doctor, and priest) ; but his son, according 
to the same authority, is not an adept in his father s 
arts. The old chief must have written out his recipes 
very carelessly, or else the tablet of his son s memory 
was too soft to retain them. 
In habits the people are agricultural, but they add 
cattle and goat-feeding to tillage, and moreover en- 
