Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-11-26
The Native Aflcan.

DICKENS in mis- Household Words gives 4 tescrir
of the natives of the Gold Coast in Africa Tbp lon
board the steamer Niagara, sent back by the CO" On
ment will soon be enjoying the luxuries 50 gapbica
described by DICKENS p"''aly
The native (he says bears on his head an ao,.,.
vessel OF palm OIL carries two or three ouills ~
DUST the result of his own industry in WASHING tho Sod
after the rain. His sole article of clothing is I Mn
chester lema length of checkered cotfor : nah,
round his lons But he knows the value Of bss nued
merchandise, and of that for which be intends 20 own
change it. He is bird by no means to be canbt eX
chaff. He will not change his palm oil for Inal WIN
feathers, nor his gold for string of beads nptbou o
he affect any article OF European clothing nor bauGos
after any produce OF European civilization He NM.
rum-the strong, American rum~and bo wants wants
to spoonful how much he ought to get If AN1 W.
wants, from time to time, renal also oI.l le
blanket to throw his shoulders on state 49,: VI
and musket to make row with and fire off W. o.
keeps custom But he wants no food hnconaO - ne
maize springs up for him almost without cnItiv+ ee
and his women pound it between two stones and o55
water to make paste which he calls kankee and ~
this he gorges himself with great relish Sometim t G
soul usteth for meat and then the black snails Of t
forest, big fist, furnish him with soup Of b;I
palm oil is also essential ingredient.
The provident housewife threads these snails On Ia
of grass, and dries them in the sum- thus SAVING Los
lord and master from the toll of PUTTING one H.
hand to take them. The long blackhared morl r@
also provides him with bounteous repast PIT ~
sorrows Oh travelling through the hnSh
partaking of the hospitality Che will have to paw bsnd
somely for it) of native, when as delcacy reaor
we'd for him, there is shed up out of the bio mt Of
soup black head with lips drawn back, and bo
white teeth grinning, and such painful resemblance
of the faces around him that for moment he wonder
which of the younger members of the family has boen
sacrificed to the exigences of the occasion But ho !;
treasured and discovers that he is not eating man b
monkey. The native of the Gold Coast has no dasio
to buy house. nor to build house, nor to live in
a house. He does not wish to add field to field or 70
make name in the land His chief and only desire in
life seems to be to eat when he is hungry to drink
whenever he can, and to sleep in the interim He
has anxiety for himself and certainly none for his
offspring, who have neither to be educated nor clothed
nor has he any msgvng about their future prospects
They run about in the bush if he lives inland or he
turns them into the if he lives the coast You
may watch them in any number and of all ages from
two to twelve diving and ducking under the waves
waiting for big one; and then on the crest of it. Won
the little shining black bodies tossed over and over
and round and round TILL screaming with pleasure thew
are washed up the sand, like tange of black sea-
weed. Then slowly and with much noise, they unrave
themselves and crawl back to the water and continue
this sport the whole day long, with the exception of the
time occupied in consuming huge Jumps of kankee
brought to them by their mothers. The paterna do
main is for the most part circular hut under the mud
floor of which the ancestors of the family have beer
buried Tor many generations.