Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-05-01
An Odd Set of People
BY OLIVE THORNE,

BY OLIVE THORNE.
must tell you of man with tail
It didn't grow on him, you know. II
was taken from some animal killed in
hunting, and fastene on by himself as
a sign of great digT and when he
| had his head orna enUed with mon
keys tails, his neck covered by the skin
of wild cat, and his square Of scarlet
cloth over his shoulders, he was very
gorgeous-looking man indeed. Espec,
tally as all these gay colors contrasted
so finely with his black skin, for he was
black as a negro. That's not very
strange though, for he aUas negro, liv.
ing in the very centre of Africa, where
few white people ever go.
Perhaps you think monkeys tails
would make funny head dress. but
what would you say to a round piece OF
zebra skin, with the long hairs sticking
out all round the head, like the rays
round picture of the sun? Or if that
don't suit your taste, how would you
like an OK tail stuck straight up over
your forehead
These people have curious ways of
adding to their beauty. They pull out
their eyelashes, for one thing, and the
men in the same way get rid of their
whiskers. Then they wear earrings so
heavy that their ears are pulled horri-
bly, out of shape.
Those are not all the comical things
they do, They are fond of tobacco,
but they neither smoke nor chew it.
They take snuff, mix it with water, and
sniff it into the nose. Of course the
precious fluid would fall out and be
lost, but for an ingenious little pair of
pinchers, which every man-and wom-
en-, too, I'm sorry to say-wears on a
string around the neck When they
get good noseful of the horrid stuff,
they just slip on the pinchers, and that
holds the nose tight.
What would you guess su h droll
people would have for fire engines?
The only house worth saving IN the
whole kingdom belongs to the king, or
chief, and it is very liable to take fire.
When 1t does, the warriors are expect
ed to come and put out the fire by roll
ing oUer 1t!
How would you boys like to be SOL
diers in that country? Their way of
taking the census, or counting the ar
my. is as funny as their other customs.
Every soldier as he reports to the chief,
brings an egg. [ suppose it is easier to
count eggs than people, and [ think the
chiefs pantry-if he has one-must be
we'll supplied, for he has three hundred
thousand soldiers.
He has very dignifed way of ap
pearing in public on grand occasions.
1t is on the back of his chief man, in
the position we call pick-a-bock L.
This same chief has cunning way of
getting money. He just marches into
one Of his own towns, kills all the prin-
cipal men, and sells all the rest into
slavery.
They needn't say any more about
& Young America" for in that country
boys of ten set up nlife for themselves,
bnild themselves a hut and live alone.
Girls too, as soon as they are grown up,
leave home and live in huts with other
girls till they are married.
There are some horrible customs among
these people, as among all savages. IF
great man is taken sick, they think
he is bewitched, and the doctor or med
icine man, proceeds to find out by
witchcraft, who did it. The unfortlln-
ate man whom he selects is tortured, to
make him confess If he won't confess.
he is killed, and if he does confess, of
course he is killed. So either way he
has to die, and every day some one must
die, till the great man gets well or dies
himself .... ...
It isn't very comfortable place for a
hi{ 10
savages think all white people are
witches. Of course if any one is sick,
the white man is held to be the mis-
chief maker.
In many things these negroes are like
children. No matter what they are do
ing, if an unfortunate rabbit happens
to cross the path, every man in sight
will drop his work or his lead, and tear
after the poor little thing. IF they
catch him, and they always do, they
tear him to pieces, and eat him at
once.
They have no beasts of burden, like
our horses, and of course no wagons;
so the only way of carrying goods is on
mems shoulders. They walk in long
strings, called caravans. When two
SetiH'SetAio hioSp, U1iC ioduclS Slulo up III
each other like a pair of roosters, and
suddenly put down their heads, and
butt each other like two rams. That is
their sort of fun. Fancy your father
and one of his gentlemen friends run
ming at each other in that way.
Ii they think white people are witch
es, they are even worse IN their treat
ment Of very fat men. A story is told
of one who was travelling through the
country. The delighted natives would
not be convinced that such a wonder
fully fat man was not G ID, and as they
needed rain, they insisted on his pro
ducing it. When the unhappy man
could not do it-as of course he
couldn't-they we're so angry, they
were about to kill him, but luckily for
him, rain came on and saved his life.
Even the animals Of this country
don't eat like other animals One of
them, the fist, kind of wolf, steals up
to man when asleep, and snatches a
mouthful from the face. 1t doesn't kill
him, but makes horrible looking
face.
All things considered, I don't believe
you and [ would like to go among the
wild tribes OF Central Africa.