The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-16 00:00:00

EXPORTS.

AFRICAN PANTOMIME.

During our stay at Katunga we were wit-
nesses to a kind of pantomime, which amuse-
ment the inhabitants generally prefer, in honour
of the caboceers, whenever they pay a visit to the
King, as was the case in that instance. The
place chosen for the exhibition was a large en-
closure, contiguous to the King's residence,
covered w►th verdure, and as level as a bowling-
green. It was rendered particularly pleasant by
the refreshing shade afforded by clumps of small
trees, which studded the spot in all directions.
Two huge shapeless rocks of crumbling gra►►ite
marked the limits of the play ground to the
south ; the King's house those to the north ;
and a range of trees intercepted the view to the
east and west. A lofty fan-palm-tree grew in
the centre of the place, under the branches of
which the actors were accommodated ; and a
temporary fence, erected round its trunk, screened
them from observation, whenever they chose to
remain concealed.

A most astounding din from drums, horns,
and whistles, was the signal for the performers
to begin their manoeuvres. The first act con-
sisted of dancing, capering, and tumbling by
about twenty men, enveloped in sacks, which
novel and elegant divcrtisement was continued
with admirable spirit for a full half hour, when
the contents of the sacks becoming fatigued,
bundled themselves back to the palm-tree.
The second act commenced almost imme-
diately after, with attempting to catch the boa
constrictor. To affect this object, one of the
dancing sacks came out of the place of hs con-
cealment, and fell gently and most conveniently-
to the ground, when a monstrous tnis-shapen
figure, with an enormous head-dress, from which
streamed a variety of strips of scarlet damask and
country cloth, slowly approached the recumbent
sack from behind the fence. The figure was of
most gigantic stature, and changed its appear-
ance as often as the enchanted Turk in our
puppet-shows. It held in its band a sword,
and by its motions, as well as the commanding
attitude it assumed over the other actors, ap-
peared to be the director of the pageant. Another
fellow in a sack was then brought out, and
being placed bolt upright by the side of the
figure, by the application of a slight blow, fell
near to its peaceable companion, and by a little
shifting contrived to get its head close to that of
the other. The mouths of the two sacks hay-
ing been previously unsewn, the contents of the
one crawled into the other, and after these for-
malities the representation of the boa presently
began. The reptile at first thrust its head out
of the bag and attempted to lay hold of the tre-
mendous figure, who contrived, dexterously
enough, to make it' draw itself into the sack
again by a flourish of his weapon, which the
knowing animal appeared to understand per-
fectly well. The head of the boa was then
jutted out in a different direction, and by de- i
grees the whole body protruded itself from the
place of its confinement into open day-light, and
remained exposed for a few seconds to the gaze
of the multitude. It appeared to be about 14
feet in length, and by reason of the painted
cloth with which it was covered, might easily be
mistaken for the animal it was intended to repre-
sent. The angry monster, after a short pause,
pursued the fantastical figure with the sword,
rather slowly, to be sure, but withal very
naturally—going through the motions of a
snake by coiling itself round like a rope, open-
ing and shutting its jaws, and darting out its
forked tongue; all of which elicited the rap-
furous applauses of the bystanders. But the
pursued, although it never was at a greater dis-
tance from the reptile than a few feet, never had
the courage to come in contact with its fangs.
At length, at a given signal by the manager,
the whole troop of actors rushed to the
spot ; they were then Backless, but their fea-
tures were effectually concealed by masks reach-
ing to the bosom. The figure then began to
act on the offensive, by chopping the irritated
monster's tail with his weapon in a shocking and
most unmerciful manner. The snake apparently
writhed in agony, and convulsively twisting its
body for a few moments, whilst it endeavoured,
without effect, to be revenged on its formidable
adversary by extending its neck to bite ; when
life seeming to be nearly extinguished, it was
borne off on the shoulders of the actors to the
tetish- house.

The third and last part of this extraordinary
ceremony, consisted in the representation of the
caricature of a white man. One of the sack-
dancers, placed by himself on a clear spot of
ground, near to the palm•tree, gradually de-
tached his covering, and exposed the figure of a
man, of a chalky whiteness, to the fixed looks
of the people, who set up so terrific a shout of
approbation that it startled us, prepared as we
had been to expect some such explosion. The
figure walked but indifferently well, and mi-
micked our actions as badly ; the composition
with which it was bedaubed, evidently preventing
the actor from using his limbs freely, or perform-
ing his part with the facility he could have
wished : although his embarrassments was ap-
parent to us, yet the populace did not seem to
take the least notice of this defect, and an uni,
versal roar of laughter expressed the delight
which filled every bosom. The pantomimic In-
cident had now attained its utmost bounds, and
all eyes, swimming in tears, were directed first
to us, and then to the intended representation of
us, as much as to say, " what a faithful and
striking resemblance !' We entered most cor-
dially into the good humourOf the moment, not.
so much on account of the clumsy and unsightly
figure before us, as to see a vast circle of white
teeth grinning at the same moment, and pro-
ducing an irresistibly ludicrous effect. After
exhibiting himself in this manner about an hour,
the white man was enveloped in his sack, and
borne, like the serpent, to the fetish house, when
the amusements ended, and the people quietly
dispersed. Between the acts we were enter-
tained with a concert of drums and whistles as
well as country songs from the females who were
present, in the chorusses of which the people
generally joined.—Lander's African Records.

111015 E OF CATCHING THE TURTLE.--,A.
turtle is a very lethargic animal, and may frequently be
surprised in its watery slumbers. The balsa is placed
nearly perpendicularly over one of these unsuspecting
sleepers, when the fisherman softly sliding the pole through
the water in the direction of the animal, till w►thin a foot
or two of it, he suddenly plunges the iron into its back.
No sooner does the creature feel itself transfixed than it
swims hastily forward, and endeavours to liberate itself.
The slightest motion of the turtle displaces the iron point
from the long pole, which would otherwise be inevitably
broken, and the turtle would as certainly be lost : but in
the manner here described, it is held by the cord fastened
on to the iron which has penetrated its back, till after it has
sufficiently exhausted its strength it is hoisted on board
the cane by the fisherman, who proceeds to the shore in
order to dispose of his prize.—Hardy's Travels in
Mexico.

BIRTH.
In Trak*, the latly of Montgomery Agnew Martio, E.q•
of a son.