A PRIMITIVE GYROSCOPE IN LIBERIA 



535 



The top is formed of one of the fruits 

 from which the interior has been re- 

 moved, together with a round stick about 

 ■one-half an inch in diameter and eight 

 inches in length. The stick passes 

 through the center of the fruit, project- 

 ing only on one side. A hole is also cut 

 in the side of the fruit so that the top 

 produces a low, mournful sound when 

 spinning rapidly. 



The whip by means of which the top 

 is kept in the air consists of a stalk about 

 •one foot in length to which a string about 

 i8 inches long, made from the fiber of 

 the wine palm, is tied as a lash. 



The method of starting the top is 

 :shown on page 533. The lash of the 

 whip is wound around the body of the 

 top, making a little more than one turn. 

 "The top is then placed on the ground 

 •with the stem to one side. The whip is 

 given a quick upward motion, throwing 

 the top into the air at the same time, 

 imparting to it a spinning motion. As 

 the top drops within reach, but before 

 it touches the ground, it is struck with 

 the whip in such a manner that the lash 

 winds around the stem close to the head. 

 The stroke is immediately followed by 

 another upward motion, which again 

 throws the top up and makes it revolve 

 still faster. 



This operation is repeated rapidly, the 

 top going faster and faster with each 

 stroke, until it begins to emit a low musi- 

 cal note. The illustration on page 534 

 shows the top in the air. 



The performance may be likened to 

 the operation of the popular toy called 

 "diablo," but the skill required is im- 

 mensely greater. The "diablo" is thrown 

 ■up from the middle, and the ends on 

 either side of the string, being of equal 

 weight, balance each other, while in the 

 Liberian toy the weight is practically all 

 on one side of the place struck by the 

 whip. 



Skilled performers have no difficulty 

 in keeping the top in the air for any 

 length of time desired. The performance 



is varied by catching the top on the stock 

 of the whip and slowly tilting it until the 

 end of the stick rests on the ground, 

 where it spins for some time like an ordi- 

 nary to]). From this position, while still 

 spinning, the top can again be thrown 

 into the air b}- the whip and the whole 

 operation repeated. 



When first seen it seems incredible that 

 the top can be thrown up by the stem, 

 which is on one side, without twisting 

 the top into another position. There can 

 be no doubt that the same principle is 

 involved as when a gyroscope is main- 

 tained in a horizontal position, although 

 supported by only one end of the axis. 



The skill required to operate this top 

 is possessed by very few members of the 

 tribe. Repeated and patient efforts on 

 my part to acquire the knack were futile. 

 I was never able to keep the top in the 

 air for more than two or three strokes 

 of the whip, and was never able to make 

 it revolve fast enough to produce a 

 sound. 



Bwingba, the Golah man who is shown 

 operating this top in the illustration, was 

 the only native I met who possessed the 

 necessary skill. That this man had more 

 than ordinary ability was shown in other 

 ways. His house was the best in the 

 town, he could swim faster and dive far- 

 ther than any one else, and he was always 

 chosen for the dangerous work of taking 

 the big canoes from the upper reaches of 

 the Saint Paul River through the rapids 

 to the lower river. This skill in aquatics 

 was supposed to be explained by his hav- 

 ing a hippopotamus for a totem. 



The sound produced by this top is be- 

 lieved by the Golahs to be distasteful to 

 the ground hogs, which often do con- 

 siderable damage to cultivated fields. 

 This means of flriving away pests is con- 

 sidered so effective that men able to per- 

 form with this top are in great damand, 

 and are often called a distance of two or 

 three days' travel to rid fields of these 

 pests. 



