ANTHROPOLOGY. 
433 
with fat into separate strips, and the whole united in 
a pigtail at the back, or else allowed to hang in long 
locks about the face and shoulders. They frequently 
let the beard and moustache grow, and generally 
abstain from plucking out eyelashes and eyebrows, as 
is done elsewhere, though this is also occasionally 
practised at Taveita. Circumcision is general. Mar¬ 
riage is of course a matter of purchase, but no sign 
of imitating capture seems to be practised here. If 
the young man cannot afford to pay for his wife at 
once, he gives over to the father a certain portion 
of the price, and his intended bride is betrothed to 
him and carefully prevented from communicating with 
other males until the rest of the purchase is paid. 
Then she becomes a wife, and directly signs of preg¬ 
nancy are manifest she is dressed with much display 
of beads, and over her eyes a deep fringe of tiny iron 
chains is hung, which hides her and also prevents her 
from seeing clearly. She is generally accompanied by 
an old woman, who is deputed to screen her from all 
excitement and danger until the expected event has 
taken place ; after which little further fuss is made, 
and other succeeding children are born without any 
extra precautions being taken. 
After marriage the greatest laxity of manners is 
allowed among the women, who often court their lovers 
under the husband’s gaze; provided the lover pays, 
no objection is raised to his addresses. Both sexes 
have little notion or conception of decency, the men 
especially seeming to be unconscious of any impro¬ 
priety in nakedness. What clothing they have is worn 
as an adornment or for warmth at night and early 
morning. These people are affectionate and kindly in 
their family relations, as may be instanced by such an 
F f 
