THE SONGS OF THE BOROROS 
triangular, others flattened on one side with a raised rib 
on the opposite side, others triangular in section, with 
hollowed longitudinal grooves in each face of the triangle 
in the pyramid, making the wound inflicted a deadly one. 
Others, more uncommon, possessed a quadruple barbed 
point of bone. 
The favourite style of arrows, however, seldom had a 
point broader in diameter than the stick of the arrow. 
The music of the Bororos — purely vocal — had three 
different rhythms: one not unlike a slow waltz, most 
plaintive and melancholy; the second was rather of a loud, 
warlike character, vivacious, with ululations and modula¬ 
tions. The third and most common was a sad melody, 
not too quick nor too slow, with temporary accelerations 
to suit words of a more slippery character in their 
pronunciation, or when sung in a pianissimo tone. 
The songs of the Bororos could be divided into 
hunting songs, war songs, love songs, and descriptive 
songs and recitatives. 
They were fond of music in itself, and possessed fairly 
musical ears. They were able to retain and repeat melo¬ 
dies quite foreign to them. Their hearing was acute 
enough to discern, with a little practice, even small 
intervals, and they could fairly accurately hit a note which 
was sung to them. They had flexible voices, quite soft and 
musical, even in conversation. 
In males, as far as I was able to judge, baritone voices 
were the most prevalent; in female voices, soprano. 
Their typical songs were chiefly performed in a chorus 
by men only, although once or twice I heard solos, which, 
nevertheless, always had a refrain for the chorus. The 
Bororos sang in fair harmony more than in unison, keep¬ 
ing regular time, and with occasional bass notes and noises 
by way of accompaniment. They possessed no musical 
instruments of any importance, a most primitive flute, 
and one or several gourds filled with seeds or pebbles, 
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