Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-04-11
THE KAFIRS.

In relating her novel experiences
as housekeeper in the Colony of
Natal, Lady Barker speaks fire.
quently of the Kafrs, the native
race of negroes, on whom the whites
depend almost exclusively for SER
vice, both indoors and out. The
women of the tribe are so occupied
at home in attendance upon the
lordly sex that they can seldom be
engaged to labor for an alien peo-
pie, and the Kair men are, there
fore, chiefly employed by the colo
nists for the performance of every
sort Of work that can be done, by
human hands. The Kafrs are, as
a race, gentle and docile, and eager
to learn, although careless, awk-
ward and incorrigibly lazy. The
habit Of idleness which has been
practiced through many ages is
hard to overcome, and not until the
necessities engendered by civiliza-
ton force them to industry will the
Kafr men submit to work with
regularity and determination.
GAS a race" writes Lady Barker,
"the Kafrs make the effect Of pos
sessing fine physique; they walk
with an erect bearing and a light
step, but in true, leisurely savage
fashion. / have seen the black race
in four different quarters of the
globe, and l never saw one single
individual move quickly of his own
free will. We must bear in mind,
however, that it is a new and alto
gether revolutionary idea to a Kalir
that he should do any work at all.
Work is for women-war or idle
ness for men; consequently, their
fixed idea is to do as little as they
can and no Kafr will work after
he has earned money enough to
buy a sufficient number of wives
who will work for him."
The primitive costume of the
Kafr consists of a waist-cloth and
innumerable rings on the legs and
arms; but he is quick to adopt the
dress of the white man, eagerly APP
propriating any cast.off garment OF
article of finery with which he can
attire or adorn his person. The
race are excessively addicted to the
use of snuff, and "All wear snuff.
boxes in their ears-snuff- boxes
made of every conceivable material
hollow reeds, cowries, tiger-cats
teeth, old cartridge cases, acorn
shells, empty chrysales of some
large moth-all sorts Of miscella.
ne0us rabbish which could by any
means be turned tu this use." The
teeth of the Kafrs are exceedingly
| fine, and excellent care is taken Of
them, the habit prevailing of fire.
quently riusing the mouth and pol
| ishing the teeth with a bit of wood
until they glisten like pearls.
But it is in the manufacture o1
his headgear that the Kafir exhibits
the triumph of his ingenuity. A
singular style Of dressing the hair
in fashion with all the tribes, is ar
ranged in the following manner
so soon as youth is considered
old enough to assume the duties
and responsibilities of manhood
he begins to weave his short, crisl
hair over a ring of grass which ex
actlyRts the head, keeping the Woolll
Fhair in its place by means of wax
In time, the hair grows pefectl.
smooth, and shining, and regular
over this firm foundation, and tn
effect is as though it were a ring o
Jet or polished ebony worn rounC
the brows. Different tribes slight
" vary the size and form of tn
: ring"
10 complete the decoration Q
this artificial crown the Ka6r seize
upon everything fantastic and con
spicuous that his hands may IA
+ upon. Every feather of bird Q
!, owl that comes into his possessio
' is instantly fastened in some gre
tesque manner in the circlet of hal
surmounting the head, and tn
e wearer exults in the staring append
age with the vanity Of chile
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