Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-03-13
DoKos OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.

cLEuuSe tdiSS are tOfO oil TIE countries ana
the tribes lying south of the Shoa. In one
place are remnants OF a traditional Christian
ity, where the people do not work on the Sab
bath, and where they observe the festivals of
Michael, George and Gabriel. at another is
lake with five islands, tenanted by monks,
who are the possessors of certain ancient Ethi-
opic books, worth, perhaps, a fortune TO hierol-
ogists and eastern critics. But the strangest
OF all are the stories told of the Dokos, who
live among the moist, warm, bamboo woods TO
the south of Katfa and Susa. Only four feet
high, of dark olive color, savage and naked,
they have neither houses nor temples, neither
hre nor ordinary human food. They live only
on ants, mice and serpents, diversified by
few roots and fruits. They let their nails grow
long, like talons, the better to dig for ants
and the more easily to tear to pieces their ia
yorite snakes. They do not marry, but live
the indiscrimnate lives of animals. multiply
ing very rapidly and with very little maternal
instinct. The mother nurses her child for
only short time, accustoRing il to eat ants
and serpents as soon possible and when it
can help itself it wanders away where il will
and the mother thinks no more about it. The
Dokos are invaluable as slaves, and are taken
In large numbers. The save-hunters hold up
bright colored clothes as soon as they come to
the moist, warm, bamboo woods where these
human monkeys live; and the poor Dokos
cannot resist the attractions offered by such
and are taken in thousands. In slavery, they
are docile, attached, obedient, with few wants,
and excellent health. They have only one
fault-a love for ants, mice and serpents, and
a habit OF speaking to Yer with their heads on
the ground, and their heels in the air. Yer is
their idea of superior power, to whom they
talk in this comical posture when they are
dispirlted or angry, or tired of ants and snakes,
and longing for unknown food. The Dokos
seem TO come nearest of all people yet discover
ed to that terrible cousin of humanity--the ape.
a HoRRID PYRAMID OF SNAKEs.-A traveller
IN South America writes In the savannahs
OF lzacubo, in Guiana, i saw the most terrible
spectacle that can be seen and although it is
not uncommon to the inhabitants, no traveller
has ever mentioned it. We were ten men on
horseback, two of whom took the lead, in or
der to sound the passage while l preferred
TO skirt the great forest. One of the blacks
who formed the vanguard returned at full gal
lop, and called to me. ssHere, sir, come and
see the serpents in pile" He pointed oat
to me something elevated in the middle of the
savannah or swamp, which looked like a bum
die OF arms. One OF my company then said,
"This is certainly one of the assemblages of
serpents which heap themselves on each other
after violent tempest; l have heard of these,
but have never seen any let US proceed can
tiousy and not go too near.'' We were with
in twenty PAGES of it the terror of our horses
prevented our nearer approach, to which none
of us were inclined. On sudden the pyra-
mid mass became agitated; horrible bissings
issued from it. Thousands of serpents rolled
spirally on each other, shot forth out of the
circle their hideous heads, and presented
their fiery eyes to US. / own | was the first
TO draw back but when saw this formidable
phalanx remaining at its post, and appearing
to be more disposed to defend itself than TO
attack us, L rode around in order of battle,
which faced the enemy on every side. then
sought what could be- the design of this nu-
nerous assemblage, and 1 concluded that this
species of serpents dreaded some enemy
which might be the great serpent or cayman
and that they reunited themselves after see
ing this enemy, in order to resist in a mass.