192 CHAUNTS AND MUSIC. [chap. vi. 



buried secretly in the ground. When they sleep, the 

 whole population of the hut lie huddled up together 

 like pigs, and in every imaginable position round the 

 small fire. They have nothing to cover themselves 

 with. The children, before they can walk, are carried 

 in a kind of leather shawl at the mother's back ; after- 

 wards they are left to shift for themselves, and pick up 

 a Hving amongst the pignuts as well as they can. They 

 all have dreadfully swelled stomachs, and emaciated 

 figures. 'It is wonderful how they can grow up into 

 such fine men. The Damaras do not dance much, 

 only on great occasions, when they perform war-dances; 

 neither do they sing together, although they are very 

 fond of chaunting solos in a sing-song air, inventing 

 the words as they go on, and having a chorus to break 

 in now and then. I have seen one guitar amongst 

 them, but it was I think an Ovampo importation ; their 

 only musical instrument is their bow. They tie a 

 piece of reim round the bow-string and the handle, 

 and bind them up tight together, then they hold the 

 bow horizontally against their teeth, and strike the 

 tense bow-string with a small stick. A good performer 

 can produce great effect with it ; they attend more to 

 the rhythm than the notes, and imitate with its music 

 the gallop or trotting of different animals to perfection. 

 The baboon's clumsy canter is the chef d'oenvre, 

 and when well executed makes everybody roar with 

 laughter. 



The natural colour of the Damaras is by no means 

 easy to determine, except during the heavy rains which 

 wash off the layers of grease and red pigment with 



