244 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NH^E 



chants to the sound of the drum that a boy beats in the 

 stern of the canoe. Then they settle down in silence to their 

 work again till the drum beats up afresh when a village comes 



YAKOMAS SHOWIXG DISC IN EAR 



in sight and then the chant starts again. They are very 

 cheerful by nature and their sense of humour is highly 

 developed. The crew of a canoe choose one from out their 

 number as jester to play the fool and keep the rest in good 

 temper. This man makes a butt of the laggard, who is driven 

 by the laughter of his fellows to mend his paces. 



The tribal marks, rows of warts down the centre of the 

 forehead, as we have before described with the Banziris, 

 protrude to an enormous extent ; in some cases the profile 

 is like a coxcomb. The lobes of their ears are also slit and 



