Page:First Footsteps in East Africa, 1894 - Volume 1.djvu/178

 all barbarians are orators. Demosthenes leisurely dismounts, advances, stands for a moment cross-legged--the favourite posture in this region--supporting each hand with a spear planted in the ground: thence he slips to squat, looks around, ejects saliva, shifts his quid to behind his ear, places his weapons before him, takes up a bit of stick, and traces lines which he carefully smooths away--it being ill- omened to mark the earth. The listeners sit gravely in a semicircle upon their heels, with their spears, from whose bright heads flashes a ring of troubled light, planted upright, and look stedfastly on his countenance over the upper edges of their shields with eyes apparently planted, like those of the Blemmyes, in their breasts. When the moment for delivery is come, the head man inquires, "What is the news?" The informant would communicate the important fact that he has been to the well: he proceeds as follows, noting emphasis by raising his voice, at times about six notes, and often violently striking at the ground in front. "It is good news, if Allah please!" "Wa Sidda!"--Even so! respond the listeners, intoning or rather groaning the response. "I mounted mule this morning:" "Even so!" "I departed from ye riding." "Even so!" "_There_" (with a scream and pointing out the direction with a stick). "Even so!" "There I went." "Even so!" "I threaded the wood." "Even so!" "I traversed the sands." "Even so!" "I feared nothing." "