Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-22
A New People Discovered I'm Africa.

- hc" EoORAC OAsc0teECu In AAEkcas
From the Observer.
In the southwestern portion of Africa
is tract about 800 miles in breadth,
from north to south, and between 400
and 500 in length, from east to west,
laid down in the maps as Herere Land
or Damara Land. 1t extends from the
Cheune river, On the north, to Walfish
bay, on the south, and from the coast to
Lake Nigami, in the interior. Very
few Europeans have visited it; three
elephant hunters only, between 1857
and 1884, Anderson, whose works on
Lake Nigami," &C., are so well known,
Green and Smuts. Anderson was so
well pleased with the country that he
purchased large tract of land there
and raised some thousands of cattle. He
died there in the early part Of the pres
ent year.
There are two races inhabiting the
country, the Bechuanas, who occupy
some kraals or villages in the central
and northern part, but who are in q de-
pendent condition, and the Ovas, of
several tribes (Ovambo, Ovarkereis,
ma, Ovambuere, &C., a red race, with
long hair-curley, but never woolly-
regular features and fine forms. These
are the ruling race, and exhibit a high
degree of intelligence, and many char
acteristics which indicate their Asiatic
origin. They are governed by king
Tiikongo-of the Ovambo race, who re-
sides atsOndonga. He is assisted in the
government by council, without whose
consent heEap not execute any meas
ure. Each triNe has its prince and its
territory, and the princes are subject to
the King and Council, by whom, for
any offence against the laws, they may
be deposed or put t6=death. Each prin-
cipality is divided into districts, govern
ed by chiefs, who are amenable to the
princes, but have an appeal to the King
and CoRucil. Their roads are excellent,
apd eseh has an Inspector, whose busi-
ness it is to see that every person. COM
ing INTO the Kingdom is stopped and
entertained until his name and purposes
can be forwarded to the King, and per-
mission granted for him otravel through
the countEy. In the case of explorers
and hunters there is usually little diff
Guilty; but traders are required to procure
some responsible citizen of the country
to be their guarantee that the shall deal
honorably, and pay all the debts they
contract.
The religion of the country is, in many
respects, so much like that of the Parsees
as to induce the belief that the Ovas be-
long to that race, or have been under its
tuition. They are not idolators, but be-
lieve in Supreme Being, the Greater,
who is omnipresent, omnipotent. and
Omniscient, and whose symbols are the
sun and the fire, and to these they pay
homage as His representatives, but offer
no sacrifices to them. They keep the
sacred fire constantly burning, and the
princes, who are also priests, entrust to
their daughters, and sometimes to their
wives, the duty of experimenting these,
sacred fires. The Ovas also believe in
the existence of a powerful evil spirit,
who is not, however, omniscient nor
omniprssent; and to his interference
they attribute their misfortunes and ac-
cidents, but they offer no sacrifices to
him. They are said to be an honest, in
dustrious and temperate people, far
more regardful of their word, and more
observant Of all good morals than most
of the African nations.