66 Wanderings in Eastern Africa, 
by the slaves to their Ngoma (dances). At present the 
people carry on their recreations in a very harmless 
manner. Every variety of dance is indulged in. The 
Wasuahili have theirs, and the Wanyassa^ Wangindo, 
and others, theirs. They are often very grotesque per- 
formances, requiring an amount of bodily exertion and 
power of lung most exhausting. The people sometimes 
become very much excited, sometimes hysterical, 
sometimes they fall in an apparent swoon to the earth, 
and require to be brought , to their senses by the potent 
influence of the Mganga. As may be expected, many 
improprieties are to be witnessed, but it must be 
admitted drunkenness is not often seen. 
Both sexes join in many of these dances, but there 
' are others that are confined to one sex. The slaves 
only are found out of doors ; the Wanguana are con- 
fined to their houses. The slaves in this case certainly 
have the advantage. 
Marriage is an odious institution amongst the Was- 
uahili, as indeed it must be wherever polygamy pre- 
vails. By Muhammadan law a man is allowed to 
marry five wives, and to take to himself as many con- 
cubines as he can afford ; while all his slaves are 
absolutely at his disposal. In the Kisuahili language 
there is no word for wife ; she is simply called Mke, 
woman. She is at best the toy, but more often she is 
the mere slave, of the man. Marriage is eff'ected by 
the payment of a dowry, and the signing of a contract 
before the Kathi (judge). It is in fact a purchase made 
sure by signature and seal. It is sometimes a most 
expensive affair, so much so, that many men cannot 
afford it, and content themselves with purchasing 
slavewomen, and keeping them as " suria" (concubines). 
