217 
of Edinburgh, Session 1884-85. 
Water is drunk at dinner out of a gourd, all drinking out of the 
same, and holding it between their wrists or between the left hand 
and the right wrist. It is a very general custom for the right hand 
alone to he used in eating ; this practice was introduced by Arab 
fakirs hundreds of years ago. 
Supper, like breakfast, consists of porridge and milk ; roasted 
meat, stews, and vegetables are added to create variety. Water is 
almost invariably drunk with food ; heer and wine are drunk 
between meals, the only exception being at great feasts, when they 
are immoderately consumed. 
Feasts take place at births, weddings, and at the great yearly 
religious festival. At funerals there is a solemn meal, when laughter 
and jokes are unheard. A description of these will be given later 
on. 
On occasions of rejoicing a man will call his friends together to 
drink with him. Friends are well looked after at meals, tit-bits 
often being presented to them. Meat is sometimes ready cut into 
small pieces before being placed on the dish ; sometimes, however, it 
is served in joints; occasionally also a sheep is served entire. In 
this case one of the party, generally a young man, carves for every- 
body; otherwise each person helps himself. The older people always 
take food out of the dish first, for though visitors are requested to 
begin, they would be considered very rude if they did so before 
older persons than themselves ; the same custom applies to drink- 
ing. Food is always taken with the fingers, and it is considered 
very unbecoming for all the fingers to be put into the mouth; the 
first and second and thumb are used. Young people are not supposed 
to talk before their elders unless they are spoken to; and if anything 
is needed at a repast, they are expected to make themselves 
generally useful. When no youths are present, the women are 
called to fetch or take anything away, but they are required to crawl 
on their knees when the men are engaged in eating. It is thought 
the height of impropriety for a woman to convey anything to her 
mouth when in the presence of her husband or of any grown-up 
man. 
The Fors are considered by surrounding tribes to be very ob- 
jectionable in their eating, as they like their food so “high.” There 
are no traditions that cannibalism has ever prevailed in this country, 
