lubricity," says Sir H.H. Johnston. "In this land of nudity,
which I have known for seven years, I do not remember once having
seen an indecent gesture on the part of either man or woman, and
only very rarely (and that not among unspoiled savages) in the
case of that most shameless member of the community--the little
boy." He adds that the native dances are only an apparent
exception, being serious in character, though indecent to our
eyes, almost constituting a religious ceremony. The only really
indecent dance indigenous to Central Africa "is one which
originally represented the act of coition, but it is so altered
to a stereotyped formula that its exact purport is not obvious
until explained somewhat shyly by the natives.... It may safely
be asserted that the negro race in Central Africa is much more
truly modest, is much more free from real vice, than are most
European nations. Neither boys nor girls wear clothing (unless
they are the children of chiefs) until nearing the age of
puberty. Among the Wankonda, practically no covering is worn by
the men except a ring of brass wire around the stomach. The
Wankonda women are likewise almost entirely naked, but generally
cover the pudenda with a tiny bead-work apron, often a piece of
very beautiful workmanship, and exactly resembling the same
article worn by Kaffir women. A like degree of nudity prevails
among many of the Awemba, among the A-lungu, the Batumbuka, and
the Angoni. Most of the Angoni men, however, adopt the Zulu
fashion of covering the glans penis with a small wooden case or
the outer shell of a fruit. The Wa-Yao have a strong sense of
decency in matters of this kind, which is the more curious since
they are more given to obscenity in their rites, ceremonies, and
dances than any other tribe. Not only is it extremely rare to see
any Yao uncovered, but both men and women have the strongest