272 JOURNEY THROUGH ISHOGO-LAND. Chap. XIV. 



greater length still. The chief gave to Kombila, as 

 presents for me, two goats, ten fowls, nine bunches 

 of plantains, and a native anvil. The ceremony 

 finished in a kind of war-dance, in which the 

 Aponos took part. 



This kind of dance is called by the Aponos M'muirri. 

 It is a war-dance, performed only by the men, and is 

 remarkable for the singular noises the dancers make, 

 yelling and beating their breasts with both hands, like 

 the gorilla, and making a loud vibrating noise with 

 their lips resembling the word " muirri." The men 

 form a line, and, in dancing, advance and retreat. 

 The dance waxes furious as it goes on, and the noise 

 becomes deafening. After it was over, the uproar was 

 continued by the whole village joining in the fes- 

 tivities, singing, beating the tam-tam, and rattling 

 pieces of wood together, until my head reeled again. 



The noise was continued throughout the night; 

 and, as it was impossible to sleep, I got up at four 

 o'clock and walked in the fresh morning air. The 

 people were then parading up and down the street, 

 singing loud and long enough to make them hoarse 

 for a month after. At daylight I heard the voice of 

 the chief proclaiming something or other, and imme- 

 diately afterwards there was dead silence throughout 

 the village. 



The singing and dancing during this uproarious 

 night were partly connected with a curious ceremony 

 of this people, namely, the celebration of the mpaza, 

 or the release from the long deprivation of liberty 

 which a woman suffers who has had the misfortune 

 to bring forth twins. 



