Wanika. .113 
and allowing it to slip by rapid jerks through their 
grasp. The vibrations thus produced create some of 
the most hideous sounds imaginable. Sometimes they 
resemble the rumbling of distant thunder, now the 
roaring of a lion, and now what may be imagined of 
the moaning of some demon in agony. For the 
purpose of producing the greater effect the operation 
is often performed by night. When all nature has 
fallen into the profoundest silence, and dense dark- 
ness covers all, the horrible bellowings of this drum, 
rolling through the forests, up the valleys, echoing 
and re-echoing among the hills, accompanied by the 
howls and shrieks of a drunken crowd of savages, 
become really terrifying, reminding one of Dante's 
Inferno," and creating sensations such as you might 
suppose yourself to be the subject of in that dismal 
abode. Such is the superstitious terror with which the 
Wanika regard the Muanza, that they believe it 
to be certain death for anyone but the initiated to 
look upon it ; even an accidental sight of it is con- 
sidered to be fatal. Whenever the instrument is 
brought from its secrecy by day the Wanika rush 
into their huts, close the doorways, and bury their 
faces in their hands, lest they should catch sight of 
the dreaded monster. There are two ''Mianza," one be- 
longing to the men, and the other to the women, 
each having associated with it its own peculiar 
rites. 
The government of the Wanika is not now what it 
must have been in earlier times. Everything in con- 
nection with them is falling into decadence. They 
are going down. The " Shaha," the " Mvaya," and 
the Kambi " are becoming more and more effete. 
8 
