Page 106 - Adventures in Africa

ducing the melancholy noises which had attracted our
attention. Others danced round them rattling their
anklets, while a party of women forming an outer

semicircle sang a monotonous chant and clapped
their hands.. The old men and women, the senior
inhabitants of the village, whom we were invited to

join, sat on the opposite side, spectators of the per­
formance. In the meantime the young men and boys
were prancing about, now advancing to the girls

beating the ground, rattling their anklets, and creating
an enormous quantity of dust.

These proceedings had gone on for some time,
when a gay youth, evidently the leader among them,
snatching a brand from the fire after dancing up to

the girls, stuck it in the ground, when he began
to leap round and over it, for a considerable time,
taking care not to touch it.

After these various scenes had been enacted, a
number of young men, representing a war party
returning victorious from battle, made their appear­

ance, and brandishing their broad-headed spears,
ornamented with flowing ox-tails. Now they rushed

off, as if to pursue an enemy ; now returned, and were
welcomed by a chorus from the women.
The scene was highly effective; the glare of the
fire being reflected on the red helmet-like gear and

glittering ornaments of the girls, on the flashing
blades and waving ox-tails on the warriors, and the

figures of the spectators, with the huts and groups of
cattle in the distance, while the howling*, chanting,
shrieking, and barking sounds were kept up without

intermission. "We, at last, making signs to the chief