BANTU NEGROES 



063 



preceded goldsmiths' work in early days, and have been imitated by the 

 goldsmiths subsequently. The Baganda will make necklaces composed of 

 links of palm rind fitting one into the other, and resulting in a chainwork 

 of extraordinary supi)leness and finish. 



The Baganda make mats of three kinds ordinarily. In the t^ese 

 Islands bundles of papyrus stalks are roughly fastened with bast string. 

 The result is a soft mat of great springiness and by no means of ugly 

 ajipearance, as the dry papvrus fades to a pleasing grey-green. Elsewhere 

 in Uganda very finely-plaited mats are made, the finest form of all being 



^^^ 



372 



UG.VSIIA POTTEHY (a Mir.Kl'OT .VNIl TOBACCO FlPEs) AN'l I AX UGANDA FLUTE 



something like the Swahili "mikeka," which is varied Viv charming 

 ]iatterr]s of ditferent coloured dyes. The material out of which most of 

 the finer mats are made is the fibre deri\-e(l from the h-onds of the 

 Phoenix or raphia palms. Tlie Baganda make excellent rojies, almost 

 good enough for ex[iortation ; also string (jf \-arious dcgi-ees of finoness. 

 The rope is generallv made from the filire of a s]iecies of Ilibl^'cus, of 

 Sanseviera, and of the hast of raphia and date jialms. Tlio string is 

 made of various kinds of hast or hemp. 



Leather is dealt with successfully in the making of sandals, and 

 occasionallv of caps, lioxes, or the ti.ips- of drums. Skins nf wild beasts 



VOL. II. 



13 



