of Edinburgh, Session 1885 — 86 . 
751 
the drams are made are shaped and hollowed out with the axe. 
The king’s great war dram is said to be very old, and is guarded 
night and day. Covers made of tanned hide, are used to protect the 
drums from the influence of the weather. Many of the drums are 
provided with cords to tighten them up when needed. 
(4) Horns . — Various sizes are used, made out of elephants’ tusks 
(rare), or the horns of antelopes. The tips are cut off, and they are 
blown from the side, but two notes can be produced by closing the 
hole at the tip with the finger. These horns are also used to convey 
orders on the march and in battle. 
(5) Whistles . — Although all the Waganda can whistle with their 
fingers, they have small wooden whistles, with two or three notes. 
These are blown from the end, and they carry them suspended round 
the neck by a string. 
(6) Flutes, which are blown from the end, have two to four notes ; 
they are either made of reeds or hard wood, and are highly polished. 
(7) Harps are constructed as follows : — A basin-shaped piece of 
hard wood is taken and covered with python skin or the skin of a 
water lizard, so as to form a sounding box. To this box is fastened 
a long curved arm, in the upper portion of which six to eight pegs 
are inserted, to which the strings are attached so that they can be 
tuned just like a violin. The other ends of the strings are fastened 
to a strip of wood which spans the centre of the sounding box. 
The twisted strips of intestines of either the goat or sheep are used 
to make the strings. The instrument is played by the fingers of 
both hands. 
All these instruments have only whole tones, but that the 
Waganda can appreciate semi-tones is proved by the ready way in 
which they distinguish them when they hear European music. 
The instruments are always ornamented with plumes, beads, bangles, 
&c., and the performers array themselves in very striking attire, 
with monkey or goat skins round their shoulders, and goats’ beards 
attached to their chins. 
It is impossible for me to describe the effect produced by sixty 
or seventy of the above varied instruments, — one of the king’s bands, 
for instance, — but it is melodious, although fantastical and weird. 
Roving minstrels are always to be found present on occasions of 
festivity. They both extemporise songs in honour of the event, 
