284 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



in dancing. Already the people were flocking in and the 

 festivities had begun. On our arrival in the shed several of 

 the best dancers came forward and danced before us ; they 

 were evidently popular favourites for the crowd clapped 

 them incessantly. 



Soon a cry arose that Okondo, the king himself would 

 dance. This was a great and rare event and evidently to be 

 done in our honour. In a moment the shed was cleared, 

 and soon after, 300 black-skinned girls of splendid form 

 trooped silently in and encircling the large dancing space 

 sat down on the little round stools they carried with them. 

 Then fell a pause of hushed expectancy just like that which 

 might precede the entry of a great actor upon the stage. 

 Then a loud crash of music broke forth from the band ; drums 

 rolled, cymbals clashed and rough iron triangles clanged to 

 herald the approach of the king, who the next moment in 

 all his war paint, paced into the circle with a swinging, 

 rhythmic step. A great cry greeted him, and then all the 

 women with swaying heads and swinging arms sang to the 

 music as he danced round the ring. 



He was dressed in a large loin-cloth of woven bark, the 

 pleated ends of which reached almost to his chest, a stout 

 leathern belt encircled his waist, and a thick sporran of lemur 

 skins hung down in front, while bunches of long monkey 

 tails covered his loins. On his head he wore a grass- 

 woven hat without brim, adorned with rosettes made of 

 the feathers of guinea-fowls, and on his feet tinkled heavy 

 anklets of bells. As he danced, his feet scraped and struck 

 the ground with short beats accompanied by gestures of the 

 body. Sometimes he would pause for breath, strutting in 



