Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-01-01
LIFE IN AFRTCA-wHAT DIX. IdSToNE
ia' eas = .gsa SAW AND BEARD. ~

| |' .Af t''A SAW AND HEARD.
We will further note some of the inaumera .
BILE incidents, which may help US, perhaps. te
| more correct conclusions on the character oi
| the Eastern and Central Africans (who are no,
| 80 much negroes aB u handsome brown lpopu.
lation) than we have hitherto formed. When
the good Bishop Makenzie arrived in the coun-
try which Livingstone was traversing, nothing
surprised him more than the fact that the ma
tives at least, knew more of agriculture than
he could teach them. They looked with con-
tempt upon cur English iron implements, a
metal which they pronounced rotten when
compared with their own; and by replying to
one question with another, often intlmated
he folly that lay In the original query. ,Is
this country good for ,csttleY said one of the
explorers TO Makalo herdsman.s DO you not
see2s rtjoined the rustic sage, with lacoeir
brevity, the abundance Of srusses which cat.
tie love and get fat apon7'
The villages are generally we'll situated and
well watered, but beneath the roofs Of the butts
there 10 a little ipdiscreet beer tippling, and
some overcrowding of 8 household, yet not SO
much probably as may be found In Dorset
shire laborers cottage. Where the slave trade
has not emptied village or war filled 1t with
skeletons and silence, there lie generally as
much happiness as can exist In 9 place where
those two evils are always eminent, where
there is no stimulant TO secure progress, and
where the people have to be told that their
coal would burn and their oil provide them
with light. '. .su. 4. f'- Z
Their politeness is excessive, aud loads to a.
much mendacity as the same quality docs In
civilized countries. When they cay the small
pox, which has been SO dead ly a visitation,
came to them from Rnglaud, they meant It as
compliment TO Englands greatness. Dr.
Livingstone found that they respected
great many of the commandments without
knowing any thing about the Decalogus, and
that they had attentive ears for all divine
commands, but with comment of their own,
after listening. One old chief told me that the
customs OF himself and tribe were sinful, and
that the guilt upon him and them. He did
not deny the sinfulness, but he demurred the
responsible guilt. With a bold innocence, be
described the fault as laying between the white
man and Jesus. The blacks had not been so
favored as the whites; they had not the hook
sentto them; how should they know betterf We
are not surprised that Dr. Livingstone says OF
their knowledge is scants, their reasoning Is
close. -
Among themselves, their method of argu.
ment might suggest something profitable to an
cry disputants at home. when two men are
in hot and eager debate, neither rathful spesk-
or can convince the other, one challenges the
other to race; the victor 10 that 10 satisfied
with his triumph, aud both are too breathless
and exhausted to enter on further controversy
that day. These men are, Of course, the free
Africans, manly, intelligent and industrious,
easily frightened, but not to be imposed upon.
When they frat heard Dr., Llvingstene's dom
keys bray, they were mute with terror; but
when they found that no furious action follow
ed ouch thunder of alarm, their mirthful con-
tempt found abundant expression. It 10 only
among the natives degraded by slavery and It's
a.xIs .L-& n ii A.
courage, msnliness, and intelligence that dis
tinguished their brethren Of brighter destiny.
Although 1t 10 impossible to avoid the sus-
picion that DR.. Livingstone so loves Africa
that he unconsciouHly throws q little too much
pink light couleur de rose, over him and his
fellows, yet We cannot doubt the simple truth
which lies at the bottom OF his statements
If there be some discrepancies, this eau be ao-
counted tor on the ground that different To-
calites and different tribes are spoken OF. The
general conclusion, however, must be, II Dr.
Livingstone's statement be generally taken,
that the Africans who have not been sccus-
toned slavery, possess virtues, refuemsnts
and maxims that might to put to shame all
the civilization ofwhite Europe and America.
One ofthe most inteEestipg lsubjeots to the
more interested OF the tYo classes Of DR.. Liv--
ingstons readers will be that part devoted 20
the description of African ladies. Taken
generally, woman has ne Ill time of II In the
districts which the party traversed, though If
she and the village to which she belongs hap
pen to be captured by the slave dealers, she
snfsrs, besides the common misery, the little
humiliation OF being considered less valuable
than her fellow captive, man, by a yard of cot
ton cloth. Four yards are given for q male;
the market price Of the woman is three. In
their free homes Dinah is mistress and master
too. At Killiamapjaro the women are the
Traders; and will not admit a man TO make
sales in the market place. In some districts,
where the husband is permitted to SELL he 10
only the good lady's factor. We fnd one who,
having cold goat without referring to his
wife, was soundly rated by the business-like
woman, who felt herself insulted. DO you
think you are unmaryied?' asked the irate lady;
why, what sort OF a man are youP These
sreRg- minded women are not Penelopes.--
Hasoan6a s6u lbrg sbs6al 'at. the, chase Or In
werafesots ssi@ss tossoap ptonouPesd dead.
and, sltslr :dfglisiss giysu>sfo: sncceasnr. Po +.
,yeAp onEh hfsbAnds, afeouSse, are. ID .fness re-
spee<sd, fax,shey arc the fieb2ss In csttle gnd
6anne{ eniys sapport. the grKAtest uum6sr Of
wives s6dt tne oldest and ,fiebAsf or gaeH v0o.s
stsssnssa5 - yss saai Rsstass gil. for
smart. sanests tsssss With. sse Sowt thssSi
little chance OF winning the d ssAy .ypdug girl J
.of bis affections. When fs counts tis head
Of cattle BY the thousands, he can procure
more wives than he wants. These ladies did
not ao.nnr.hand ha~ EnnIaoa -. -.