18 THE PEOPLE ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN 
forced to adopt the practice of the Bantu natives and cultivate 
shambas , which they still do, although they have a fair 
number of cattle, sheep, and goats. The fields in which they 
cultivate eleusine, matema, and maize are carefully fenced in 
with branches of trees to protect them in some measure 
against the attacks of game, &c. 
Elephants occasionally visit the shambas and do a con- 
siderable amount of damage. 
Their habits at the present day are very similar to other 
members of the Masai-Nandi stock. 
The huts are made in the Masai fashion, plastered with 
cowdung and inclosed within a fence composed of interlaced 
branches. The grain stores are after the Kavirondo (Bantu) 
pattern, being supported on posts and having the usual conical 
removable lid. They are often placed outside the protecting 
fence. 
If an ox is captured by the warriors it is taken to a tem- 
porary hut built away from the village and there slaughtered 
and eaten (recalling a Masai custom). There appears, however, 
to be no restriction made about other people eating meat in 
the village, except that the animal must be slaughtered away 
from the boma. 
Milk, porridge, blood, and the flesh of game are also con- 
sumed. The El-geborit are clever cattle-men and appear to 
understand cattle, in contra-distinction to the Bantu native. 
The young calves, goats, and the sheep are herded separately 
from the adult animals, usually by a very small boy. They 
keep fowls but do not appear to have any dogs. 
All adults are circumcised. They state that in former 
years they held circumcision feasts every five years after 
harvesting the crops (August). 1 For a considerable time before 
the actual circumcision the boys and girls about to be operated 
on assemble at the chosen spot, and spend most of the day (and 
night, too, if it is not raining) in dancing and singing. The 
operation itself is said to be performed by a Dorobo. 
The arms of the tribe include both the Masai form of spear 
and the small, leaf-headed, ‘ long-necked ’ spear. The edge of 
1 Before they cultivated crops they used to buy grain for beer each year. 
