Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/451

 • THE MASAI. 867 disposed above the head, the hair of which is sometimes drawn out in long ringlets by means of bark fibre. The arms are protected by a horny ring and many coils of brass wire. To the calves are attached the flowing white fleece of the colobus in such a way as to resemble fluttering wings as he runs, and the gorgeous equip- ment finishes off with little tinkling bells attached to the heils. The weapons usually consist of a short sword passed through the girdle of a leathern tunic, a long broad-headed lance held in one hand, and in the other a great shield, painted all over with many-coloured heraldic devices. The women are fur less sumptuously arrayed. They usually wear little cloth- ing beyond a robe of dressed leather leaving exposed one arm and half of the breast. But they are on the other hand overladen with metal wire wound round the arms and legs, and disposed about the neck in the form of an inverted metal salver. Burdened as they are with such a weight of iron or copper ornaments, it is surprising to see the amount of bodily work they are able to get through, attending to the wants of their husbands and children, milking the cows, keeping the house- hold in order, and even doing a brisk trade with passing strangers. Less cruel and less eager for gain than the men, they have of I en saved the lives of their guests from the fury of their husbands or brothers. So inconvenient are the metallic adornments, that the wearer can neither .walk properly nor sit down or rise like other people, and can never run. When these ornaments are once on they become permanent fixtures, till finally taken off, as it would require many days of painful work again to adjust them in their proper places. They chafe the ankles especially, and evidently cause much pain. As they are also put on when very young, the calf is unable to develop to its natural size, and the consequence is that in the adult woman the legs remain at a uniform thickness, from ankle to knees — in fact, mere animated stilts (Thomson), The weight of this armour varies from four or five up to as many as thirty pounds, according to the wealth of the family ; and to the iron wire some even superadd great quantities of beads and iron chains, disposed in diverse ^nys round the neck. thinks of settling down as a family man : that is, when he has acquired sufficient wealth to purchase a wife with the customary dowry of cattle. For a full month during the engagement the young man dons the dress of his betrothed, doubtless to signify that he has at last been subdued by the power of love, l^ke an African Hercules seated at the feet of a dusky Omphale. Custom also requires the newly married couple to live on a milk diet for the first month after the wedding. But later they acquire full freedom in this respect, and the ex-warrior, now become a man of peace, is no longer restricted even to the alternating regimen of milk and beef. He may now add to his ordinary fare cereals, fruits, and vegetables, as well as such luxuries as snuff, tobacco, which he has learnt to chew, and fermented drinks. He now also turns his attention to local politics ; he takes his place in the assemblies held to deliberate on matters of public interest, and votes at the election of the kigonnni, or deputy, by whom he is represented in the more important discussions.
 * As a rule, the life of war and pillage is at an end as soon as the elmuran