e new-moon _levee_ are of the same shape, but very much larger. The
war drum is beaten by women. At its sound the men rush to arms, and
repair to their several quarters. There are also several stringed
instruments. One of these, which Captain Grant describes, was played by
an old woman; it had seven notes, six of which were a perfect scale.
Another, which had three strings, was played by a man: they were a full,
harmonious chord. A third instrument called "the laced _nanga_" formed
of dark wood, in the shape of a tray, had three crosses in the bottom,
and was laced with one string, seven or eight times, over bridges at
either end.

The prince sent the best player to be found to entertain his guest. The
man entered, dressed in the usual Wanyambo costume, looking a wild,
excited creature. After resting his spear against the roof of his hut,
he took a _nanga_ from under his arm and began playing, his wild yet
gentle music and words attracting a number of admirers. It was about a
favourite dog, and for days afterwards the people sang that dog song.

There is another stringed instrument, called the _zeze_, somewhat
similar to the _nanga_. They have two wind instruments, one resembling
a flageolet, and another a bugle. The latter is composed of several
pieces of gourd, fitted one into another, in telescope fashion, and is
covered with cow-skin.

Rumanika's band was composed of sixteen men, fourteen of whom had
bugles, and the other two hand-drums. On the march they form in three
ranks, the drummers being in the rear, swaying their bodies in time to
the music, while the leader advances with a curiously active step,
touching the ground alternately with each knee. They also, when the
king rested on a march, or when out hunting, played before him, while he
sat on the ground and smoked his pipe.

The Wahuma, like most Africans, have great faith in the power of charms,
and believe that by their means persons can be rendered invulnerable.
They also believe in the constant presence of departed souls, supposing
that they exercise a good or evil influence over those whom they have
known in life. When a field is blighted or a crop does not promise
well, a gourd is placed in the pathway; passengers set up a wailing cry,
which they intend as a prayer to the spirits to give a good crop to
their mourning relatives. Rumanika, in order to propitiate the spirit
of his father, was in the habit of sacrificing annually a cow on h