Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-28
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forth directions that the court musi
clans We're to give us a concert on our
way out
Leaving the palace. we then went to
the drumhouses and other matched huts
which form the quarters of the must.
clans The farmhouse looks like a
great inverted basket. 1t is about 40
feet high at the cone II is made OF
thousands OF reeds. 50 tied to one an
other that they 10 UP to one center,
forming a straw tent with round rolls
OF reeds running about II like ribs from
bottom to top. The roof is made or
split canes, each as fine as a daruing
needle. In this house a half dozen men
sat on the ground and played upon
pipes Another half dozen pounded on
the great drums with their hands, and
at the ack others were dancing
After the concert inside was ended
] asked the musicians to bring their
instruments into the open, that ! might
make photograph. They did so, and
at the same time the kings dancers
came out and cavorted around. hopping
higher and higher and swinging their
legs this way and that to the pound
ing of the drum.
The chief music for tho dancing was
made by the head drummer. an old ne-
gro. who was perfectly bald and whose
ears had been cut OFF close, so that
Remembering the remark of the tutor
as to how the blind musician lost his
eyes because King Mwanza did not
like his playing. | asked how the head
drummer came to lose his ears. The
reply was that they were cut off by
the orders OF this boys grandfather.
King Mutesa. IT was "a hot day. and
the drummer was taking bath in the
kings lake, when one of the princesses
saw him and reported that she had seen
naked man. Whether Mutesa was
angry because the man bathed in his
special pond, or whether he thought 1t
d!sgraceful that the princess should
see him in the water ! do not know.
AT any rate, he was angry. and he
ordered his eXecutioners to cut off the
mans cars as a punishment
Such things are not common since the
British took hold, and at present the
young king, even If he wished, would
not be permitted to kill or MAIN his
subjects. without cause.
/ understand that the Kabaka. as
the king is called, Is fond of his bands.
He always has a large retinue with
him when he goes outside his palace
grounds, and the drummers march in
front. yelling and pounding, while the
people come for miles to look at the
sight. The drummers play very well.
They use the hollow trunks of a reson-
ant tree with skins over the ends. The
drums are all shaped like barrels or
kettles, and are of different heights and
sizes. Each has its own note or pitch;
and the musicians sound the different
notes. using a number of drums, as our
people do with the keys of a piano.
Some of the kings drums are 40 years
old. They are considered invaluable.
ONLY \ BOY AFTER ALL
| am told that this little king. not
Nithstanding the care with which he is
watched and the respect with which his
people regard him, is good deal of a
boy after all. He is fond OF sports. and
especially football. He is a good BIZ
cycle rider. and has a wheel which
was made for him IN England. One
of his greatest joys is a little white
pony. which he considers the finest
animal in the country When he goes
out upon it he puts on riding trousers
and leggings, and cuts a gay figure
as he dashes over the roads and about
the ant hills. His royal highness is
seldom allowed TO go far from home.
He has been to Entebbe, and has seen
the steamers which ply upon Lake Vic
toria.
AS 1t is now Dandi Chau has but 1T
tie to do with the government. and.
as I have said. this will be the case
until he is IS years of age. He will
then take his place upon the throne
as the real ruler of the Baganda, and