574 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
(mixed always with natron), though he never smoked. 
Then, as often as convenient, he liked to foregather 
with his friends, and have a jolly carouse over beer or 
mead. 
It is pleasant to know that with this change in his 
mode of life there was a corresponding alteration (very 
much for the better) in his views of things. He de- 
lighted to talk with the traders whom before he had 
gloried in killing or annoying, and would in token of 
good-will cordially exchange the courtesies of life by 
spitting upon them and being spat upon. In his con- 
versation he showed an intelligence far superior to any 
specimen of the Bantu tribes. He had no suspicions, 
and was communicative about his affairs and beliefs. He 
would even at times exercise a friendly guardianship of 
passing traders, and was able to ward off many a disaster 
by judicious warning. He was not stinted in his 
presents, and generally gave far more than he got. He 
has been known even to protect strayed porters, and 
tend sick men left behind. 
The softening down of his ferocity reacted upon his 
face. The habitual scowl gradually died away, and was 
replaced by a more pleasing and genial expression. His 
thoughts turned more to the strange mystery of life. 
He, alas ! had little that was cheering to look forward 
to. He believed in the existence of a Supreme Being, 
and yet had not the faintest conception of an after- 
life. Unlike the men of the Bantu races, he did not 
believe in ghosts or spirits. He had no theory of 
dreams, and did not imagine like the negro that when 
he dreamed he was really experiencing all that was 
passing through his brain, and that his soul or spirit 
was actually knocking around somewhere, having a good 
time of it, unclogged by his body. Moran believed 
nothing of that ; indeed whether he had any idea on the 
subject, I have not been able to determine. When the 
man died, he was finished utterly, except so far as he 
might go piecemeal to build up the body of a hyena, a 
vulture, or a marabout stork. The Masai believe in 
annihilation. To bury a corpse would, they think, be to 
