22 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTEAL AFRICA 



and would point the aligata aslant, straight up in the 

 air, or downwards into the earth, with equal efficiency, 

 and at the same time accompany the playing with 

 gymnast feats. He would twirl round and round, 

 and down to make a cheese, like our children love 

 to do ; or he would squat on his heels and jump, in 

 curious similarity to the old Scottish dance of 

 Kircuddie. 



I was anxious to see how long it was physically 

 possible for him to keep it up, but my companions 

 craved for silence, and the ear did tire very soon 

 of a composition that admitted no rests, and where 

 graduation of sound was only attained by the per- 

 former's advance and retreat. The rhythm, though 

 marked, was irregular, and could not be divided into 

 time values ; and the notes were reiterated without 

 attempt at tune or harmony. 



It is curiously trying to hear music that subscribes 

 to no musical laws, that observes key no more than 

 time, and therefore never resolves to the tonic or 

 dominant, for which European peoples instinctively 

 crave. 



The excerpt herewith was taken from aligata players 

 in N. Nigeria, and can at best give but a rough idea 

 of the style of music, for the intervals do not corre- 

 spond with those of our notation. 





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