The Rising Son; or, the Antecedents and Advancement of the Colored RaceBrown, William Wells
History
The Rising Son; or, the Antecedents and Advancement of the Colored Race
Brown, William Wells
African Americans -- Biography; African Americans -- History; Black race; Slavery -- United States
The following account from the distinguished explorer, will be read
with interest. Dr. Livingstone says: “We then inquired of the King
relative to his band of music, as we heard he had one. He responded
favorably, saying he had a band, and it should meet and play for us
at once. Not many minutes elapsed until right in front of our house
a large fire was kindled, and the band was on the ground. They began
to play; and be assured I was not a little surprised at the harmony of
their music. The band was composed of eight members, six of whom had
horns, made of elephant tusks, beautifully carved and painted. These
all gave forth different sounds, or tones. The bass horn was made of a
large tusk; and as they ascended the scale the horns were less. They
had a hole cut into the tusk near its thin end, into which they blew
the same as into a flute or fife. They had no holes for the fingers,
hence the different tones were produced by the lengths of the horns,
and by putting the hand into the large, open part of the horn and
again removing it. I noticed that one small horn had the large end
closed and the small one open. The different tones were produced by
the performer opening and closing this end with the palm of his hand.
They had also two drums; one had three heads placed on hollow sticks
or logs, from one to two feet long; the other had but one head; they
beat them with their hands, not sticks. I however saw a large war-drum,
about five feet high, made on the principle of the above, which was
beaten with sticks. The band serenaded us three times during our stay.
They played different tunes, and there was great variety throughout
their performance; sometimes only one horn was played, sometimes two
or three, and then all would join in; sometimes the drums beat softly,
then again loud and full. The horns used in this band are also used for
war-horns.
“At about eleven o’clock we were awakened by music,--a human voice
and an instrument--right before our door. “What is it?” “A guitar?”
“No; but it is fine music.” “Ah! it is a harp. Let us invite him in.”
Such conjectures as the above were made as the old man stood before
our door and sang and played most beautifully. We invited him in; and
true enough, we found it to be a species of harp with twelve strings.
He sang and played a long while, and then retired,--having proven to
us that even far out in the wild jungles of Africa, that most noble of
all human sciences is to a certain degree cultivated. We were serenaded
thrice by him. He came from far in the interior.”
One of the greatest obstacles to civilization in Africa, is the
traders. These pests are generally of a low order in education, and
many of them have fled from their own country, to evade the punishment
of some crime committed. Most of them are foul-mouthed, licentious men,
who spread immorality wherever they appear. It would be a blessing
to the natives if nine-tenths of these leeches were driven from the
country.
FOOTNOTE:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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