UGANDA AND THE WAGANDA. 155 pegs the strings can be tightened or relaxed as in our violins, the bow being bound tightly round, between the pegs, to prevent its splitting. The strings are struck with the fingers as in the European harp. Drums, ng'oma, are largely used by the Waganda, and are of various shapes and sizes. The larger drums are conical in shape, and are formed of a block of hard sonorous wood, carefully hollowed out. The head is made of a large ox-hide, which is carefully fitted to the shape of the drum, and secured by numerous strips of skin to another hide fastened round the bottom, and can be tightened, if required, by twisting the connecting bands. These drums are generally placed on the ground, or suspended round the neck of the performer, and beaten, on the upper side only, with two drumsticks. There are also long narrow cylindrical drums, of which the head only is covered with skin, generally that of the water-lizard or a large snake, the bottom being left open. These are usually carried under the arm and beaten with the palm of the hand.

There are several large drums, of unusually fine tone, which belong to Mtesa, some of them having been made by former kings. They have each a distinctive name, and are kept carefully guarded, being only used on grand occasions.

The harmonicon, " madinda," has the greatest compass of any of the musical instruments of the Waganda. It consists of a number of pieces of a