hammers topped with rubber. Three performers often play
together with great skill. This form of Marimba is also met with amongst
the natives of Costa Rica.

African instruments are as a rule very noisy, their chief use being to
alarm the enemy in war-times. An amusing story is told of Sir Samuel
Baker, the explorer. When quartered for a time near the native town of
Masinda, where dwelt the King of the Unyori, he was startled one
evening, when the air was perfectly still, by the deep tone of a Nogara
or native drum. This, ceasing as suddenly as it had begun, was followed
by a terrific burst of sound, thousands of human voices yelling like
maniacs and endless horns playing their loudest, besides the clashing of
everything that could be persuaded to make a noise. Calling for his
dragoman, or guide, Sir Samuel inquired what all this meant, and was
gravely informed that it was all for his benefit, that he might be
thoroughly frightened and quit the neighbourhood. The leader forthwith
sent an order to the bandmaster of his regiment to assemble his men and
make them play their very loudest, after which the clamour from the town
speedily came to an end.

[Illustration: Guatemalan Marimba.]

A tribe called the Niam Niam make a drum like a wooden horse, which is
beaten on all sides at once, and certainly fulfils the condition of
noise. Many tribes use a rattle, or 'Sanje,' which has the merit of
simplicity, being merely a gourd filled with pebbles. The negroes of the
Soudan play cymbals made of two thin plates of iron, after the plan of
saucepan-lids, with handles of leather, whilst the Ashantees have a love
for the clanging of brass pots, either banged together or struck with
sticks; and some of the Congo tribes use a rude kind of bagpipes.

It must be remembered that the natives have not only human beings and
wild beasts to scare, but believe in and dread a vast army of evil
spirits, who they think must be kept at a distance and prevented by
terrifying noises from exercising their powers.

CURIOUS GRANARIES.

[Illustration]

When the English farmer has cut his ripe corn, he gathers in the
sheaves, and piles them up into neat corn-stacks. After a time he sends
for a thrashing machine, with the help of which he is able quickly to
separate the corn from the straw. The grain is placed in sacks, and
these are put away in a dry barn, until the farmer can sell them to some
miller or maltster, who will take the grain aw