Customs of the Lower Congo People. 461
all the players are " slaves." Should the " king " be " out " in going down the line, then, when all become "slaves" to another, he has the chance of winning them back from the last one left " in," by playing him. The movements are very rapid, aud cause a great amount of amusement, and help to train their eyes, and make supple the limbs.
4. Hoop. Sides are taken which have to stand from 20 to 25 yards apart. Each player has a string 2 or 3 yards long weighted at each end. A hoop is trundled from the side A towards the side B, and, as it approaches, the weighted strings are thrown at it, so as to entangle it. The boy whose string entangles the hoop, picks up one end of his string, and swings the hoop round his head as he walks with it towards the side A. Should he deposit it there without the hoop dropping from the string, it counts as one game to the side B. If the hoop is either not entangled, or drops while being whirled, the game counts to the side A. If two or more strings entangle the hoop, then the boys owning the strings must carry the hoop back between them. The hoop must not be touched by the side B unless no string entangles it, when it is thrown back to the side A and counts as a game to them. Some- times the winner is challenged to whirl the hoop near the ground and to jump over it while whirling without its touching the ground. After a set of 20 games the other side trundles the hoop. Did they learn this game from seeing the Portuguese, in the old times, throw their " bolas " to entangle the legs of their animals? A variation may be made in the above game by throwing the hoop in the air.
5. A person sits in the centre surrounded by a circle of players, or sometimes a single player sits in front of a line of players having their feet extended towards him. The single player takes a ball on his knees, and by jerking a leg he throws the ball to the line of players in front of him. The one who fails to keep the ball from dropping to
