New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-27


chatting playing, and smoking. Everybody comes
out to enjoy the cool of the sunset. The men sit
outside the iwanzs, while the women and girls,
after bringing water for household wants from the
we'll, collect in group on their little stools and
indulge in the pleasures of gossip and the pipe.
As darkness comes on, the village doors are care
fully closed, and after milking his COWS, each
peasant retires to his hut, or spends the evening
round the fire with his fisnds in the iwsnza.
He has not yet learned the ant of makipg wick,
or of filling bit of pottery with oil. When he
wants light. be ignites stick of an oleagnO Is
tree, which burns with O brilliant flame for a
quarter Of an hour. He repairs to his hard couch
about midnight and sleeps without waking until
dawn.
On the approach of Winter, the African begins
to think about making some provision for "the
rainy day." The peasants then leave their huts
early in the morning, often without food which has
now become scarce, and labor till little alter
noon, when they return home, and find scahty
repast prepared by the wife or the female siaVe'
DoriDg the afternoon, they return to their WORK.
and sometimes when the rains are near, they are
assisted by the women. Toward sunset they all
plod homeward in body, laden with their imp'e-
ments of cultivation, and singing sort OF African
"Sweet Home" in simple and pleasing recita-
tive. On bright, moonlight evenings, furious
drumming and droning chorus summon the
maidens to come out of their huts and ENJOY the
spectacle of dance. The men and women seldom
dance together and their style of ssltaton is re-
markable for its intense gravity. AT ne other time
does the East African look so serious and so fal OF
earnest purpose. Their music is of the humbest
character Though excellent tnists, and not with
out an ear for melody, they are content with the
SIM lest combina alton Of sounds. With no creative
musical talent, they take the highest delight in har
mony. The fisherman accompanies bis paddle, the
porter his pack, AID the housewife her task, with
song. For lOug bours at night, the peasants Will
sit in ring repeating, with unwearied zest, tue
same few notes and the same unmeanng line. The
mufical instruments are oil Of foreign invention,
imported from Madagascar, and various other re-
gions. The drum is the greatest fayorite with the
African. He uses it as the alsrum of war, the
prom ise of mirth, and the cure of disease. With
out druumipg, his life would indeed be blank.
Tie monotOny of life is relieved by frequent
drinking bouts, and by IN occasional hunt. For
the former, the guests assemble at early dawn, and
take their seats in circle divided into knots OF
three or four to facilitate the circulation Of the
bowl The cup-bearer passes round the assembly,
taking care to begin with the chiefs and elders,
WHO ale also provided with larger vessels. The
drinking-cup, which also serves as travelling can
teen, is made generally by the women, OF q kind of
grass, OF of wild palm-leaf. The stalks are split
and neatly twisted into fine cord, which is rolled
into concentric circles, Joined together by binding
of the same material. 1t is sometimes stained and
ornamented with red AID black dyes. The shape
is truncated cone, aud those of average size con-
tain about quart. This cup passes rapidly around
without heel taps the toPers stopping only nos ana
then to talk, laugh, and take snuff to chew to-
bacco, and to smoke bhaDg. This scene lasts fer
three or four houls--in fact, until the liquor is e.
hsusted, when the carOusers stsgger home to doze
through the rest Of the day. In no European coun-
try are so many drunken men seen abroad as in
East Africa Women alsOfrequently appear intOx-
Gated; but they do not drink with tie men, keep
ng private cup at home.
TIE East African, who can seldom afford to
crafty his taste for meat by saughtering COW or
goat, looks eagerly forward to the eDd of the
rains when tie grass is in fit condition for firing.
Armed with bows and arrows, and with kind Of
club, called knObkerry, the villagers then have
battue of small antelOpes, hares, and birds. Dur
lug the hot season Also when the waters dry up,
they watch by night at the tanks and pools, and
thus secure the larger kinds OF game. In many
parts the huntsmen suspend by cord from the
trees sharpened blocks Of WOOD which, loOseued by
the animals foot fall and cause mortal wound
The elephant roams in herds throughout tbs coun-
try, frequentiDg the low, moist grounds, where
vegetation is plentiful. To hunt this magnificent
beast is with the African an enterprise of solemn
moment He fortfes himself with charms pre-
scfbed by the medicine man, who also trains him
to the use OF his weapons. The elepbant-spear re-
sembles boarding pike. 1t is about six feet long,
with a broad, tapeIiDg head cut away at the
shoulders and supported by an iron neck in Thick
wooden handle, the junction being secured by a
cylinder of raw hide from cows tail. The hunt
ing party consists of fifteen to twenty persons,
who, before going out on the eventful excursion,
proceed to sing and dance, to drink and drGm, for
q week together The women form in line, and
march through the village each striking an iron
hoe with large stone, which forms sOnorous &C
compartment to the howls and trills of joy. At
each step the dancer sways herself elephant-like
from side to eide, tossing her head backward with
a violence which threatens dislOcation. The line
is led by fuglewo on the right who holds
IT, Ice - aacb bapd hut does NOT drnun otnn