The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-12

AGAIN there was furious shout and In few minutes
Z s' voice 4. s
crimes of which these women wero accused The first
Saanaaa nS Ss ',S ,9%s weeks .l before re
then, and had bswitched him Quenquaga's niece, he
she had Quenquagas slave, he said, had asked
Mpomo for looking glass, and he bad refused her;
made the people broke out In curses Even the relatives
OF the accused obliged 70 join in these Every
emulated his ncghbor in curslng each fearful lest
lukewarmness should expose him 70 like fate. The
victims now put into large canoe, the tomoms
beaten, and the mbondou cup was presented 70
each. One after the other they drank the poison and
the multitude shouted slf they ara witches let the
| mbondou kill them; II they arc innocent let the
after another struggled against the influence Of the
poison but In vain and in few moments their bodies
were cut up in pieces and thrown overheard six days
This means o kind Of feast. and takes place six
| days after person has died. and is ioiaca-
After the nchongou IS over the mourninS takes AXES
place. and continues until tho bola iyoga-
means the breaking Of the mourning time occurred
near my place. at Washington, on the banks Of the
Fernandway river. When man Of Importance dies the
make it point Of going unusually dirty; no ornaments
whatever are worn, and as little clothing as possible
mourn, and lasts generally from wear 70 two The
man who had died left wives several slaves,
house. plantation and other property such as wearing
% Ss'Gss n' this sa people isss
and dried, and snoiomba and joumbonsi are
prepared The chief mourners had been fishing for
two weeks and had returned with several canoes laden
had been busy making intoxicating drinks The day ap
pointed length arrived provisions and drinks had been
Quantities Of palm vine Every one in the village dom
ned his best attire and ornamcns drums and kettles
all was ready 70 commence boa voga The wives Of the
dead seemed quite jolly, for tomorrow they
lay aside their mourning robes and join in tho rejoicing
younger brother and one 70 q first cousin.
that the widows had done eating certain mess COM
posed Of various ingredients supposed to have magical
wdowhood. They now put on bracelets, ankets and
earrings and the finest clothes they had From early
morning the guests had been arriving from the adjacent
villages bringing with them intoxicating drinks Mats
spread about the house OF the deceased and along
the Of the town. The people divided
little groups and before each door set immense
jar Of mumbo palm wne They all talked pleasantly
when suddenly the Biayano people began to fire voley
OF hundred guns This was the signal for the drink.
ing to begin. Men, women and children set to work,
and from this time till the next morning the orgies
continued without interruption They drank, they sung
got tipsy that / wondered the old trade guns did
not burst. They drnmmed ON everything that could
no
quite unable TO describe them to you The next morning
at about sunrise Jombona came to ask me TO the
GLIDING ceremony. HIS brothers. house 10 be torn
down and burnt When camc the people surrounded
the house, singing furousy. and in moment hacked
the old house TO pieces with axes and and then
burnt the whole When the ruins were burnt the feast
was over and this is the way they 20 out Of mourning
among the Commi tribe Hardly had the rejoicing con-
Guided when lshnnga, the man who had faithfully
kept my house during my absence hunting ex.
petition, disd He left 20 properly and his brother
Glanced TO light upon some fsw days after saw that
the wild vutures had been there and had
the corpse The relatives slept one day in his house
The lecturer here exhibited 4 diagram Of burial
ground among the Commi and briefly explained il.
among whom have spent many months In hunting
and explorations They are one Of the most numerous
inhab tie country Of NUM- on the NORTH and from tho
shore to the Apng country and Is far south as the
Fernad Bay TO ne north they approach the sea
places but they also extend far inland in the noun
tains Their settlements widely scattercd and they
chiefly found living In independent towns in regions
chiefly occupied by otner tribes One Of the peculiar
traits OF the Bakalai is their rowing character They
scarcely built the plantations have pos4iby not borne
fruit for the first time when they make up their
soOn :. they feel mpe led 10 sen srs
thing Thu gathsr up whas NV astessS & provisions
.hsy may hays s.s start "a s"%s - for great az.
teens for In that country. ~ In h the trees 70
b down and the land cleared bsors crop be
and even more, in the same place Many ihines con.
tribute to this rowing tendency but nrst OF all there is
the fear OF death. They dread 20 dead person
Their SICK unless they have good and friends TO
take OF them often driven out Of the village 70
die in Loneliness in the forest have twice seen Old
men thus driven out nor could persuade any one TO
give shelter comfort TO these friendlcss wretcbes
Once old man, poor and naked lean A. death ITSELF
and barely able TO work. hobbied into Bakaais village
where was staying. Sseng me the poor fellow came
to beg some tobacco, their most cherished soiscs 1
piled he , "Wners are you fromY' He mentioned
VILLAGE . few miles on Have You no friend there"
None" mo SON. nor daughter, no brother nor sis.
away for that what will you dosr "Dien few
women came up 70 him and gave HIM water and little
drove him away. He departed sadly. A few days
afterwards bis poor lean body found In the woods
village the stability Of that settlement has received
violent shock second dies, then the people at once
faOcs death dreaded Sss skns in their mds
DOCTOR s called VINO goes through bis ncantatons and
some poor wretches arc condemned to drink the
condemned In breath, and murdered In cold blood.
Then The village Is broken up they set again upon
pIaniasons ana new home II is a. though they were
all their lives vainy 0esing from the dread face Of DEATH
They are ys o. Wns s eIpHa a ne o ssxs
his brother, Of the name Of Psnds, charged with
having stolen tho bones Of dead 70 make etich
town THIS pssvsr vss very violent The Bskslai cnsfs
and people, 70 the number or several hundreds met
gether Of course TO kin Master Penda Pende denied
having stolen bones more that he every town
70 have trade Nevertheless TO obtain quSe the poor
fellow bad 70 give slaves to the .nrss cheis who were
the money Of the country. Often they mako palaver
for she sake Of extortion. They DO nct like TO
see their Beighbor become richer than themselves:
II be does they are sure 70 got rid Of him
by some wchcraft palayer. One would naturally think
that people 20 afraid Of death would be peaceful
instead OF that they reacherous and Of quarrel
some disposition Having little else 10 lose, they
10 dread death amy other people knew.
Death Is the end I'VE shall never see him; We shall
never take his hand again. such IL their song And
STILL by strange contradiction, they extravaganty
supersious believing that there Ii life beyond this
vet they fancy ghost spirit in every moving tree
bush after night and sometimes they overpowered
BY an Undesirable dread which makes them fear
outside Of their huts Many OF the quares and paaver
arise about women. When has really broken out in
country there Is rest or safety; man. woman
child can take step In any drecton day and
NIGHT without fear OF death. They lay ambus-
cades 20 surprise each others villages Those who
have guns will shoot through the tree bark
Of which their houses made and Kill sleeping per-
people sleep two consecutive nights at
place fear IL would become known did they
..f.t~ - az