Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/581

 "They are at it down in Duke Town to-night, not only rubbing the drum, but singing one of the big tunes. I'll just go down and see to it, though it's inky dark, and Calabar hag not risen to the cultured level of oil street-lamps; still there's lots of sheet lightning, Two and a half hours later. It's a perfect scandal they do not keep those Duke Town paths in a better state. They are nothing in this world but drains, and precious bad at that. There ought to be one fixed light at Mr. Fynn's Ditch, or by the bridge, and then you would know which was which before you were waist-high in water."

Of the South-West Coast secret societies the Ukuku seems the most powerful. The Yasi belonging to those indolent Igalwas, and M'pongwe is now little more than a play. You pretty frequently come upon Yasi dances just round Libreville. You will see stretched across the little street in a cluster of houses, a line from which branches are suspended, making a sort of screen. The women and children keep one side of this screen, the men dancing on the other side to the peculiar monotonous Yasi tune. Poorah I have spoken of elsewhere, but one thing I may remark regarding it which struck me as peculiar. I was in the forest at the back of Victoria, Cameroons. I recognised in a piece of forest a peculiar look about a portion of it. The branches were bent, and the tendrils were tied together in a way I had seen elsewhere, but which I had never noticed among Bantu tribes. I was puzzled, and after having passed this place a couple of hundred yards or so I turned back to look at it again, telling the men to go on. I examined the place closely for some minutes, and then rejoined my men, and said nothing.

Presently said one of my Wei Weis, "How you sabe them thing, ma?"

"What thing?" said I, not wishing to give him the lead.

"You look them thing, ma, when you pass him then you go look him again, you sabe Poorah, ma?" in a tone of accusation.

"Well," said I, "what is it doing here?"

"Them Sa lone (Sierra Leone} boys done bring him, ma," was the answer.