586 FORMAL INTRODUCTIONS. 



will dwell on the wonderful chiselling of the lady's features, that 

 splendid nose, so broadly and strongly planted, the generous 

 lips, and the cheeks adorned with wonderful designs, wrought 

 in the black waxy surface with the sharp point of a knife. 

 But, whoever you are, and however you are affected by the 

 lady's presence, when you have well confronted her it will be 

 almost killing, to behold that personification of African decorum 

 suddenly pause, and, bending forward, place her hand upon her 

 feet, or, if a more familiar friend, to have the punctilious lady 

 turn suddenly a broadside upon you, and clapping her hands furi- 

 ously, break forth with the sonorous salutation, " Wake, wake, 

 waky, waky ; huh, huh," and if you should be a real Wajiji 

 man you would reply by clapping your hands in turn, and 

 catching up the lady's words, you would repeat them with an- 

 swering earnestness. But we are not to imagine that the cus- 

 toms of this society provide for such impertinent recognitions 

 as are inflicted on people sometimes in nearer climes. Wajiji 

 gentlemen would as soon think of abandoning their splendid 

 valley as surrendering the tedious ceremony of introduction, 

 which is on thiswise: a mutual acquaintance, with profound 

 respect, introduces one gentleman to another ; the two advance 

 with inimitable gravity, and grasping each other by the elbows, 

 begin to rub each other's arms vigorously, all the while repeat- 

 ing those familiar words " Wake, wake, waky, waky," never 

 failing to punctuate their sentences with the significant grunts, 

 " huh, huh," in token of the absolute satisfaction they have in 

 the privilege of knowing each other. 



We are fully mindful that the elaborate disposition of nature's 

 cranial covering is not confined to Africa, but we have found it a 

 matter of quite as much importance there as here, and one in- 

 volving marvels of design and workmanship, before which 

 reams of twisted " papers " and tons of curling irons might 

 well despair. In Wajiji, now and then, there may be seen a 

 pate bare as an egg-shell — it is only fashion though ; more fre- 

 quently the hair is left in " diagonal and horizontal lines or in 

 combs, ridges, tufts, stripes, with dainty frontal curls like beau- 

 catchers ; sometimes there are left only narrow bands across the 

 front ; sometimes the lightest and most fantastic lines of wool 

 are to be seen wrapping the crown, and if not dazzling, at least 

 confounding the unaccustomed gaze. 



