Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-08-14
from the Obseryer.l
A New People Discovered in Africa

IL the southwestern portion of At
RIGA is a tract about 800 miles in
breadth, from north to south. and
between 900 to 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 of Lake
Nigami in the interior. Very few
Europeans have visited it; three ell
ephant hunters only, between 1857
and 1864. Anderson, whose works
on Lake Nigami,n &c, are so well
known, Green and SHUTS. Ander-
son was so well pleased with the
country that he purchased a large
tract of land there-and raised some
thousands of cattle. He died there
in the early part of the present year.
There are two races inhabiting the
country, the Bechuanas, who occu-
Ply some kraals or villages in the
central and northern part, but who
are in a dependent condition, ana
the Ovas, of several tribes (Ovamho,
Ovarkereis, Ovam bautiern, Ovem-
quart ,Ovakuenama, Ovambuere, &c. J
red race, with long hair-curly, but
never woolly-regular features and
fine forms. These are the ruling
race, and exhibit high degree of in
telligence, and many characteristics
which indicate their Asiatic origin.
They are governed by a king Til
kongo-of the Ovambo race, who re-
sides at Ondonga. He is assisted in
the government by council, with
out whose consent he cannot execute
any measure. Each tribe has its
prince and its territory, and the
princes re subject to the King and
Council, by whom, for any offense
against the laws, they may be de-
posed or put to death. Each priDci-
pality is divided into districts, gov
erned by chiefs, who are amenable
to the princes, but have an appeal to
the King and Council. Their roads
are excellent, and each has an In
structor, whose business it is to see
that every person coming into the
Kingdom IS stopped and entertained
until his name and purposes can be
| forwarded to the King, and permits
sion granted for him to travel through
| the country. IN the case of eXplor-
ers' and hunters there is Usually lit
tie difficulty; but traders are requir-
| Ell to procure some responsible citi-
| zen of the country to be their guar
antee that they shall deal honora,
bly,, and pay all the debts they CON
| tract.
The religion of the country is, in
many respects, so much like that oil
| the Parsees a. to induce the belief
| that the Ovao belong to that race, OF
have been under its tuition. They
are not idolators, but believe in q
Supreme Being, the Creator, who is
omnipresent, omnipOtent, and ON
| niscient, 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 burn
ing, 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 bel eve in the exist
ence of powerful evil spirit, who is
| not, however, Omniscient nor omni-
present; and to his interference they
attribute their misfortunes and acct
dents, but they offer no sacrifices TO
him. They are said to be an honest,
industrious and temperate people
far more regardful of their word
and more observant of all goood
morals than most OF the African ma
tiOnS