MEN OF THE TREES 



part, join in the song, but are otherwise passive. From 

 my description of this dance the reader may be led to 

 imagine that it is purely sensuous, and it may be so, but 

 throughout all I always observed that there was a strict 

 sense of propriety and etiquette, which is not always 

 found in the ballrooms of our much vaunted Civiliza- 

 tion. 



I am here reminded of a story that was told of two 

 old dowagers in London just before the War. They had 

 heard of the modern dances and the Englishwoman was 

 anxious that her Austrian friend should see them; espe- 

 cially the fox-trot, which in those days was an innova- 

 tion. After watching one of the dances for some time 

 the Austrian remarked, "My dear, I see nothing very 

 modern about this, only when I was a girl we waited 

 until we went to bed." 



Before I left the Highlands of Kenya, a M'goiyu 

 dance was held in my honour. It was the end of that 

 particular dancing season, and as the tribesmen had de- 

 cided to pay me a visit, I suggested that the final dance 

 should be held at my camp. Volunteers had collected a 

 pile of Mutarakwa chips, and when night came a huge 

 circle of fires was kindled and before long the dance was 

 in full swing. A general feeling of goodwill pervaded 

 the atmosphere, and everybody was in a festive mood. 

 Songs had been chosen which were thought to be ap- 

 propriate for the occasion. This night, in their desire to 

 make me happy, they were singing songs of the forest 

 and tree-planting. This was an innovation, for not many 



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