National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04
An African llarem.

A writer in the CorahM Magazine de
scribes visit which he once made, will
DIR. Livingstone, 10 the harem of
Prince of one of the Comoro Islands
He says:
After inviting us to bc seated, tn,
Prince left us, in order TO apprise hi
wives of our arrival. He went out by
doorway covered by damask hanging
which, we presume, led to the ladies
departments. He returned in a few
minutes, and with him came, not II wife
but a little Malay woman, old ant
shriveled, but full of vivacity. Hel
sharp, shrill voice rang though the room
when she announced that the ladies
would soon appear She was evidently
the janitress of the harem, and the
Prince seemed to be much in awe of her
She was born at Cape Town, but had
many years ago married Johanna man.
She spoke English very imperfectly. but
Dutch like Dutchlander and when
she found that DIR. Livingstone could
speak that language, her pleasure was sc
demonstrative thought she would have
embraced him.
curtain was withdrawn, and, stand
ing in row on either side of the passage
We saw number of little slave girls,
some of whom were very gaily dressed.
Then there came from room at the end
OF passage stout lady about twenty
five years of age, whose face only saved
from being commonplace by her large
and really beautiful eyes. Her appear
ance as she entered the room was daz-
zling. The bodice of her dress was of
cloth of gold the short skirt was of In
dian muslin, elaborately worked with
gold and silver thread her drawers
were of the same material and similarly
ornamented. Her naked feet were slip
ped into richly-adorned sandals, and on
her hair she wore purple velvet fez-
shaped cap that was refulgent with gold
lace and jewels Round her waist she
had a jeweled zone, and round her neck
"jewels of silver and jewels of gold"
were multiplied in a barbarous profusion;
she had rings on all her fingers, she
wore bracelets, armlets, and anklets
of gold; and her ears were strangely
decorated, for not only were the lower
lobes perforated, but the rim of each
ear was pierced in several places, and
instead of one jeweled drop each ear
sustained four or five.
The first effect produced on me by
this profllse display of personal orna-
mentation was amazement, and when
the absurdity of it appeared so great
that it was difficult to refrain from
laughter Yet we could not help being
pleased with the woman who had taken
so much pains with herself to please us
and when she came forward to shake
hands, which she did rather awkwardly,
we bowed our lowest and smiled our
sweetest. To her succeeded tall, finely
built, very handsome woman, of about
twenty years of age. Her figure was
perfect the grace of her carriage was
faultless, and her large black eyes were
so lustrous they seemed to flash light.
With the first lady the richness of cos
tune was most prominent, but with this
woman the beauty of her person far out
'hone the magnifcence of her attire.
She was dressed and ornamented, with
'ome slight variations, like unto her
ister-wife, to whom, indeed, she was
'eally sister for the Prince informed |
Is that they were the children not only
If the same father but by the same
mother. She moved toward us like a |
queen -self-possessed and gracious; and
hough she had not the manner of a |
European lady, the mode of her hand
haking was unimpeachable. A few
elapsed before the third wife
resented herself Her appearance was
her features expressionless;
ler eyes lacked lustre, her form, though
ot angular, was spare and distitute of
II grace her movement was awkward,
nd though dressed not less grandly
han the others, her costume appeared
ar less Respondent.