1843.] and the Abyssinian Church. 663 



night is seldom disturbed by the discordant sound of their barbarous 

 attempts. 



127. A portion of the vocal music is of a more pleasing description, 

 and some of the airs which the women croon over their work are even soft 

 and plaintive, There is, however, no great change of note in the strain, 

 which has generally reference to the particular operation in which they 

 are employed. 



128. The recitative of the war songs is pitched in a high key, and 

 chaunted by a single individual at the top of his pipe ; and the 

 thundering chorus, which consists of a few words in deep base, is at in- 

 tervals poured from every throat in the party, with great effect. The 

 return of a successful army is indeed a most striking pageant ; the glit- 

 ter of the silver ornaments, the flashing of gay cloths and housings, and 

 the shrill chaunt of the fight, closely followed by the pealing bass of 

 triumph echoing from ten thousand merciless throats, forming altogether 

 the very embodying of savage exultation. 



129. Their church music is most execrable; although seven long 

 years are passed in its acquisition, and the constant practice of many 

 hours during the day ought to make them somewhat more perfect. 

 Howling and screaming, however, are the most appropriate terms to be 

 employed for this ceremony, and the hoarse cracked voice of the priest, 

 increasing in fury as he progresses in his task, is in true keeping with 

 the jingle of the " itsnassil,"* the Abyssinian timbrel, which in its 

 startling effect, can be compared to nought but the rattle of the 

 poker upon the tongs. 



130. From four in the morning until nine of the Sabbath, this clatter 

 and ranting is continued for the honor of their religion in all the 

 churches of the kingdom, besides a full muster of their croaking 

 choristers on all their numerous holidays and festivals ; and the band 

 of stout priests who nightly mount guard to preserve His Majesty 

 by their song from the influence of evil demons, have certainly chosen 

 a cunning path to prevent the advent of, at least, all those spirits who 

 are gifted with any musical taste. 



* This is the " sistrum" which is thought to be included under the Hebrew term 

 " Tzitzelem," and is composed of a frame of sonorous metal crossed by bars of the same ; 

 these bars move freely in the holes through which they are passed, and when the instru- 

 ment is shaken, the reverted ends striking upon the frame produce the clattering sound. 



