A BAKONJO ORCHESTRA 79 



this filter pour the liquid into another vessel. This 

 is ' mubissi,' pure banana-juice, a favourite drink of 

 the people of Uganda. Over a slow fire let the 

 ' mubissi ' simmer gently for several hours, and then 

 allow it to cool. This is Ruwenzori syrup. It is 

 about the consistency of treacle, and has a quiet 

 taste of honey and banana, with a suggestion of 

 sunshine and a suspicion of acidity. When well 

 made it is excellent. 



Owing to the difficulties of the language of the 

 Bakonjo, we could only communicate with them 

 through our Uganda boys, with whom they had 

 some words in common, and so we were unable to 

 find out any of their tribal customs and legends — if, 

 indeed, they have any. We were invaded once by a 

 primitive orchestra of some ten or a dozen young 

 men, who played each upon two pieces of wood of 

 different lengths, with the shorter of which they 

 struck sharp blows upon the longer. The rhythm 

 was intricate and difficult to follow, but they kept 

 time admirably, and without the accompaniment of 

 groans and howls the effect would not have been 

 unpleasing ; it recalled some of the ' music ' that 

 may still be heard in the Scottish Highlands. The 

 occasion was the death of a father of the tribe, 

 which had taken place some weeks before ; in the 

 meantime the people had allowed their hair to grow, 

 and now the end of the time of mourning was being 

 celebrated with music and dancing and a general 

 shaving of heads. Although it cannot be said that 



