of Edinburgh, Session 1883-84 
327 
many stones, but this is merely a form of speech, as the stones are 
not literally carried. The lumps of earth thrown into a man’s grave 
correspond to his number of tribal stones, and in this way also will 
a man often regulate the number of tufts of hair to be left on his 
head after shaving. 
Burial Customs . — Immediately it is known that a man is fatally 
wounded, the news is sent to his wife, who hastens to him, taking 
their children with her. A touching scene is witnessed when they 
reach the dying father. The little children are placed upon his 
knee, and the others stand round about him, while he gives them 
his “blessing” by putting his hands on their head and moving his 
mouth as if spitting. After telling them to be good, and not to 
grieve too much for him, he solemnly addresses his eldest son, giving 
into his charge his mother, brothers and sisters ; also the fields and 
cows. He also is careful to tell him through what tribe he has met 
with death, in order that his son may some day revenge him by 
killing one or two men of that tribe. Then follows an affecting 
farewell to his wife. If he is a well-known man, and not far from 
his home, a great company of his friends and acquaintances gather 
round to take leave of him. While the body is being carried to his 
hut, a drum is sounded as an intimation that he is dead. This is 
also done at the hut if a man dies at home, and is repeated at the 
burial. The body is usually buried one day after death, close by 
the man’s hut, but sometimes by his father’s, 
A deep round hole is made in the ground, and at the bottom of 
this a deep recess is scooped out. In this recess the corpse is placed, 
being laid on the right side with the head leaning on the right hand. 
Lumps of earth are then thrown into the hole by the children, first 
with their backs towards it, and then their faces, the number of 
lumps coinciding with the number by which the deceased’s tribe is 
known, the girls throwing one less each time than the boys. 
A pole or tree trunk is then fixed in the ground at the bottom of 
the hole, which is not filled up, but covered by two large stones 
placed against the pole. Sometimes there is no pole, if a stone can 
be found large enough to cover the hole. Over this is erected a 
conical mound of earth, three or four feet high, which is stabbed by 
flat stones. If a pole has been placed in the grave it projects above 
this mound, and is surmounted by the horns of cows killed by the 
