strument they generally, put into a gourd, with pieces
of bone round the edge to increase the sound, which
is decidedly melodious and recalls a spinet. One
finds instruments of a similar nature amongst the
natives north of the Zambesi. Specimens in the British
Museum of almost exactly the same construction
MAKALAN GA PIANO
come from Southern Egypt and the Congo, pointing
to the common and northern origin of most of these
African races.
About Zimbabwe we found the natives playing
a sort of Jew’s harp, made out of a reed and string,
giving forth a very faint and ineffective sound. Also
they have their cymbals and their drums, which
latter they play with elbow and fist in a most energetic
manner. Anything, in fact, which makes a
noise is pleasing to them. At their dances they tie
to, their persons small reeds or gourds filled with the
seed of the Indian shot, which rattle and add to the
prevailing din. They are for ever singing the low,
monotonous songs common to primitive races ; they
encourage one another with song when at work in
the fields, or when out on a hunting expedition, and
dearly did they love some small musical boxes which
we had with us. Music is certainly inherent in them,
and one of our men was quite quick at picking up
an air, and very angry if his comrades sang out of
time or tune.
When time permitted we made several little excursions
in the neighbourhood of Zimbabwe. One
of these led us to the ruins which they call Little
Zimbabwe, about eight miles off. Of all these ruins
they have next to no legends, which surprised us
greatly. One story, however, they tell, which appears
to have obtained universal credence amongst
them—that long, long ago white men came and
erected these buildings, but the black men poisoned
the water and they all died. This story seems to
have about as much value in it as the one told us
by De Barros, that the natives of his day thought that
they had been built by the Devil.
About two miles from our camp there was a long
flat granite rock, along which the path passed. On
either side of this are two piles of stones, and a line is