82 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



The instrument rested on the same arm, and the left 

 hand was free. He was the Master of the Ceremonies, 

 and remained in the centre of the dancers, who formed 

 two or three broken circles round him. 



Men, women, and children danced together, but they 

 were divided into groups according to their sex and 

 age. They had chosen a big tree for their background, 

 and it enhanced the mystery of the scene, for the only 

 light was from our lamps. Their eyes shone brightly, 

 and, from whatever position they were in, their gaze 

 was always curiously fixed on us. 



The sound of the horn and the three shrill pipes 

 that formed its complement, and the savage accom- 

 paniment of clanking metal from bracelets and anklets, 

 as their wearers leapt from darkness into light, added 

 to the supremely weird effect. Each dancer bore some 

 emblem of the harvest, usually maize or guinea-corn. 

 The hair was a favourite place to wear it, and one man 

 had his head so covered that it seemed as if he wore 

 a green wig. 



The dance was of a cake - walk character, and the 

 performers would often go backwards, but the forma- 

 tion remained the same, though there was great 

 variety in the steps. 



At the end, four girls, the Bamm's daughters, 

 danced a very intricate step, a little like the High- 

 land Fling. It required much rhythmic clashing of 

 their anklets, and they performed it with graceful 

 precision. 



These girls are of great value in the marriage 

 market, and the Bamm demands no less than 10 

 bullocks, or 4 cows, for each one. 



Mrs Talbot's and my hair was the chief subject of 



