Mkushi to Broken Hill 



drums. John, who introduced her to us, explained 

 that she was a " medicine " woman, and that with 

 our kind permission she would proceed to dance. 

 We readily gave consent, on which she put on her 

 petticoat and anklets and commenced, to the accom- 

 paniment of her two sons, who, getting astride their 

 drums, beat them loudly with their hands. The 

 noise soon attracted not only all our men, but pretty 

 well the whole village, including the chief, who, dis- 

 placing one of the sons, beat the larger of the two 

 drums with the greatest vigour. Franco, who as 

 the brother of a chief should know, told us that the 

 office of head drummer was one of a chief's most 

 highly-prized privileges; and however that may be, 

 this chief certainly made the most of his oppor- 

 tunity. Greater zeal and energy in the performance 

 of his task I have never seen. 



The dancing, which was of a high class order, 

 to judge from the pleasure and excitement depicted 

 on the black faces in the half-moon surrounding the 

 performers, consisted of the usual pacings and 

 shakings. The "medicine" lady was assisted by 

 quite a number of other women, who would rush 

 out in relays from among the spectators, dance until 

 they were exhausted, and then retire to recruit, 

 being replaced at once by a fresh batch equally 

 anxious to distinguish themselves. How long the 

 performance would have lasted it is impossible to 

 say ; for, though the chief was developing un- 

 mistakable signs of apoplexy, the leading lady 

 herself had not to use a colloquialism turned a 

 hair. A thunderstorm, however, that had been 



229 16 



