6o 
In the Heart of Africa 
pictures of these noteworthy performances, and their reproduction 
in Germany roused great interest. 
Prizes, in the shape of “gold” chains and similar objects, 
were then distributed. The “ Tait diamond ” ornaments which I 
had brought with me as special gifts of honour found great 
favour with the trinket-loving Watussi. Rings, stars, brooches, 
etc., were at length so coveted that my tent was in a continual 
state of siege, and I was obliged to keep my admirers at arm’s 
length, so as not to exhaust completely my stock of “precious 
jewels.” 
We were also given an opportunity of seeing a set of dances 
which differed in no material respect in their character from 
those I had watched in the Masai steppe and amongst the coastal 
tribes. There was no musical accompaniment to the majority 
of the eleven different kinds of dance which we observed, such 
as is usual with all the terpsichorean exercises of the negro 
people. In spite of this, however, there was no lack of rhythm. 
These dances were based on ideas borrowed from the animal 
kingdom, and were executed singly, or in groups, accordingly. 
I remember one dance which was designed to illustrate the move¬ 
ments of a crane. We smile, no doubt, at these naive native 
customs, but quite unjustifiably. We come across the same 
ideas in our highly cultured Europe, for what is the clog-dance 
of the Upper Bavarian peasants but an imitation of the song 
and motions of the blackcock ? 
The war-dances, however, were of a different nature. These 
were carried out in groups, and we were able to distinguish 
different phases. Two parties would rush to attack each other, 
brandishing long rods and spears. Then a number of warriors 
would dance in a circle around a man who was bounding into 
the air with his arms held close to his body. Yet the movements 
were never wild ; they never degenerated into those grotesque 
leapings and war cries, or cadenced groans, so often met with 
among savage native tribes, but were always measured and 
dignified. 
Each of the dances had been well practised in the presence 
