The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-01-15

Iuc AOu1Cai Aouo VI
the "Turkish Lady"
This man is a Dinka, and the dress
of his wife is about as drol as his. TO
begin with, she nearly equals him in
iron rings and chains. Her ears, and
lips, and nose are as fully decorated as
their limited size will allow. Her neck
bears chains of iron beads shaped like
gas-pipe cut into bits, strings or
wooden balls, cords of leather, among
the rest, probably, an amulet to keep
her from harm, made of some verses
from the Khoran, inclosed in an orna-
mental leather sheath. This amulet,
by the way, she shares with the cows
and donkeys, who, of course, need pro-
lection also.
Her apron of skin is heavily fringed
with iron rings, bells, beads, and such
things, and her costume is completed
by heavy iron rings on her ankles,
which are fastened on, and which clank
as she walks. A person of wealth some.
times wears as much as fifty pounds
| weight of iron all the time. So you see
riches have their burdens in Africa as
well as in America.
Every Dinka man carries a club q
yard long, with a knob on the end,
which makes it look like an immense
nail.
The house of this curious couple IS
made of bamboo, daubed with clay,
and the pointed roof of layers OF straw,
supported by branches of a tree. This
mansion-as you may imaglne-ls not
very strong, and will last but a few
years.
The great wealth of the Dinkas con-
sists OF cows. They collect great num-
beers of them, and take the best care OF
them. with the sole desire of possessing
great herds. But strange to say, they
never kill one to eat, though they
like beef well enough to eat
them if they die by accident or disease.
It is wonderful how attached a Dmka
is to his cattle. He provides a large
hospital for the sick ones, and attends
them with the greatest care. Ii one
dies, he is inconsolable, much more sc
than if he had lost wife or child. When
asked the use of so many cattle, he
replies that it is enough to see them dc
we'll and look fat.
As a sign of grief, going into mourn
ing in fact, a Dinka wears a cord arounc
} his neck, which L should think must
be hard to endure, in addition to the
stuff already there.
Like most savages, the Dinka thinks
| all disease is caused by evil spirits, an'
: their doctors are in fact a sort of wizard
Their way of proceeding is e~1ceedingl.
, curious. 1t is at night to make 1t mor'
t imposing. First the doctor begins Will
S a great noise, something like the cack
n ling of a thousand hens. This he keep
up for an hour or two, for the purpos
e of frightening the evil spirit suppose
e to be IN the sick person, and compelling
S it to answer his questions. When it l
thought to be sufficiently alarmed, tn
" doctor commences his talk with tn
spirit, who meekly answers all quef
tions, or at least appears to, for tn
If cunning doctor is a ventrlloquist, an
O can bring an answer out of a post If h
O likes. He asks the spirit his name
how long he has been in his preser
1t quarters, and why he has chosen then
When the doctor has exhausted thes
le important questions, he proceeds I
pry into the family affairs of the scare
spirit, asking about his friends an
family. Having thus interviewed
the unhappy n as long as he thinf
is necessary, he goes to the woods for I'll
s. roots which are to drive out the II
ID truder, aud cure the patient.
s. Don't laugh at the pranks of the pc;
" Dinka doctor. Quacks-to becon
known or famous-must make a gre
nc noise in Africa as we'll as in Americ
"A and you must remember he has pos
lively no newspaper or fence corner
which to puff himself into fame.
Of But 1 haven't told you about the goa
in which climb trees. They are real
10 Ethiopian goats, but are SO fond of t!
young shoots of trees that they W
stand upon their hind legs to rea'
ot them, and even climb into the low
gs branches, and hang there sprawled o
he in a very awkward way. A travel