The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-08

A VISIT TO TIE cASxrBAL COUNTRY.


az account vi MS aoVentures among the faus,
cannibal tribe OF Africa, discovered by him dur
ing his explorations Of that continent. The wall
behind the speakers desk was completely COW
cred with pictures on canvas illustrative OF Afri-
can scenery. the animals which abound In the
forests OF that country, and the native inhabi.
the gbbon, the ourang-outang, the chimpanzee,
the termife, or white ant, native villages, black
men in dshabile, and skeletons Of the gorilla and
bis cousin, man, placed side BY side for compari.
sion. A little after eight NJ. Du Chaillu entered
and made his bow. He is small sized, dark
complexioned, genilemanly man, and spoke with
French accent, and not very fuently, but in q
simple, direct and pleasing manner. After
came to visit the country Of the Faus.
he said: "This country lies in the noun
tains near the western coast Of Africa,
about two degrees north Of the equator, and two
hundred and fifty miles from the coast. The vii
lage "a Fan village) stood on the top Of hill,
and when appeared in 1t the people gathered
around me in multtudes. They took me for
spirit, and called out, Look at his feet, they
have no toes; his feet are black and his face an
other color; what is the spirit We sect" Ineysr
before saw such wild men. They were all armed
TO the teeth with spears, poisoned arrows and
knives. Their bodies were tattoed all over, their
teeth were dyed black, and they looked more
like ghouls than men. On the ground were the
through the streets. The women were the ugliest
! ever saw, and were much smaller that the men.
The king did not want to see me, being afraid
that he should die II be saw spirit. The men
did not seem afraid, but the women did. saw
one Of the latter run into one of the huts with the
leg OF q man just cut of. This made me feel IN.
comfortable, and my only consolation was that
was very thin and not worth much for eat
surrounded by bis warriors. He was
dressed with the skins of wild beasts
and held spear in his hand be looked at me with
wonder, and did the same with him. he said he
E-~t1 - IL ~ u
warriors; ! put bold face. on Il, and said that
spirits were never afraid also. They gave me q
hut TO sleep in, but did not sleep that night-the
woman with the leg depressed my spirits. In the
door, met with q grand reception. Cannibals
from every part of the country had come to see
me. They got accustomed TO me in time, and
to them, and we became the best friends. After
few days the queen came to see me. She was
lovely creature-teeth sharpened to point, body
tatooed all over. Cooked plantains were brought
TO me TO eat. / told them i never ate cooked
food for was afraid that mems flesh had been
cooked in the same pot before. The cannibalism
Of these people is Of the worst kind. The eat the
bodies not Of their enemies only but also Of their
own people. A man, however, does not eat the
body of one Of his own family, but families ex-
change their dead with each other. In one case
that i know Of, a corpse five days dead was
sold for food. They like their game high.
They all agree that q woman is tenderer
than man not the heart merely, but the whole
body. Boys also are tender, but old men very
tough. myself could see no difference 10 the
appearance Of the flesh Of ,men and that Of the
gorilla except that it was little finer " texture.
But in spite Of their cannibalism, they are in many
respects the finest tribe in that country. Their
houses are built low, not more than five feet 10
height, on account OF the tornadoes. The walls
are made of the bark of trees; they have little
door in front, and a back door, but no windows.
Poygamy is common among them, and the more
wives man has the happier he seems to be. Sla-
very is known, but is not much practiced, because
men are scarce, ana they prefer 10 eat them
rather than make slaves OF them. They work
iron IN the most beautiful manner, and make
knives, spears, and very sharp axes. They are
exceedingly given 10 lighting, hence their fond
ness for working In iron, and their EXPERIENCES at
it. Nothing from the coast reaches them, except
few beads and pieces OF "copper" They cover
the handles OF their knives with skIn taken from
The bodies OF men. On parting the king made me
a'preseDt OF one OF these; II had belonged TO his
father, and was covered with human skin. II was
considereda great mark OF respect to receive such
present; II was compliment similar TO the pre-.
sentaiion OF a diamond snun Dox with us. These
cannibai tribes are always nghtlng; and are the
oresa OF al tne people inst surround mem, con-
querlDg every uipe win whom tney have come In
contact. some zen years ago tney were some
Two hunoIed sno MY miles from tne coast; To-Day
iney are ionpa Wi,mn zen miles OF tne coast, nav
ing destroyed OF erlven away AL tne oiner uloes
between Them and the ocean. what impeis them
=, 70, move toWsres Inc ives. couid not ma out;
WINE among inc ans nearo Oh 0tner cannlDai
tripes toWaIas lhe norinwesl One Jay !ourneyea
10 tbst country shey were caned tne osnaioss.
could see no ainerence between mem ana me
rams they mao Inc same appearance ana Gus,
TOMS, ana tneir villages were similar. Ihey tolo
me That tnere were othef csnnieais beyond tnem;
But not ieeliDg comfortable among t1em, 1
commenced 70 make my way toWs,ds me
coast. Inc fans haa got accustomed 70 me
sna were very soiry lnst snouio 20, indeed
Iea 10 peIsuaqe me 10 say among tneul;
wen, a. the iass leIl ,nose g9ou cauhloNs, ana
wren mace on tney al ssio must come again.
large NUMBER OF mem, ootn men anu women,
accompanied me Gown as Tar as tDese tripes wnere
4 mao Deen before, nearer the seas Lney
| came with me as lar as my TRENDS were, was
very much touched with their behavior. When
they parted from me, they All set up shouting IA
monotonous chaui /" The spirit IL gone, the
| spirit is gone, and will be seen by Us no more.
we have seen what our ioreistners never saw.
| and what our chioren VIII never see. Inc SpIi'
is gone, is gone In reply nred salute with
my gun, waved my hand, and 30 disappeared rom
ny good friends, the Fans. tnen passed through
various tribes the Bonda, the Nbousha, and q re "
others, and came to place where there was
tribe called the MongalaDa- i got SICK then. i
| em glad to cay never was day sick while was