254 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



quiver, which has a small outside pocket, where that 

 form of arrow which he expects to want is kept in 

 immediate readiness. 



His armoury was very good, and numbered, besides 

 long spears with four-bladed heads, some old pistols. 

 The stock of one has a human head carved on the 

 wooden handle, and is certainly native. It is now 

 in Mr Talbot's our possession. 



A dance was held in our honour. The performers 

 were all of the female sex, and arranged themselves 

 methodically in a long row according to height. Three 

 drummers — men — stood about 20 yards in front, and 

 to their accompaniment each girl or woman glided 

 down a slight slope, made two or three graceful turns 

 opposite the musicians, waving the while great lengths 

 of dress that would otherwise have swept the ground, 

 and which hung straight from the bust. The moment 

 they had performed these evolutions they walked back 

 to the starting-point, and formed once more into a 

 long row. 



When everyone had finished their turn, the 

 drummers advanced, beating their instruments with 

 increasing ardour till they came right up to us, and 

 yelled and shouted our praises. 



Then a new measure was danced. The graceful 

 glide was replaced by a slide and hop, and on reach- 

 ing the band each performed the back-to-back motion 

 of Sir Roger de Coverley with the dancer immediately 

 preceding and following her. A crowd of people had 

 collected to watch, the enjoyment of the dancers 

 grew more keen, and we began to wonder whether 

 there was any end to the performance. At last we 

 gave up that hope and returned to camp, trusting 



