MUSICIANS AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 317 



covered with a bit of spider's web : the ends are covered with the 

 skin of an antelope pegged on ; and when they wish to tighten it, 

 they hold it to the fire to make it contract : the instruments are 

 beaten with the hands. 



The Aiariiiiba, or Musical Instrument of the Balonda. 



The piano, named " marimba," consists of two bars ot wood 

 placed side by side, here quite straight, but, farther north, bent 

 round so as to resemble half the tire of a carriage-wheel ; across 

 these are placed about fifteen wooden keys, each of which is two 

 or three inches broad, and fifteen or eighteen inches long; their 

 thickness is regulated according to the deepness of the note 

 required : each of the keys has a calabash beneath it ; from the 

 upper part of each a portion is cut off to enable them to embrace 

 the bars, and form hollow sounding-boards to the keys, which 

 also are of different sizes, according to the note required ; and 

 little drumsticks elicit the music. Rapidity of execution seems 

 much admired among them, and the music is pleasant to the 

 ear. In Angola the Portuguese use the marimba in their 

 dances. 



When nine speakers had concluded their orations, Shinte stood 

 up, and so did all the people. He had maintained true African 



