The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-12
A QUEER PEOPLE.
Commander Oamerou'a Account Of Tho Most
Civilized Race in Central Africa.

ILondnn Tlmaa
AT the meeting " the British haaprlation A.
Sheffield, IN AuRuat pl, ~" well known AfTt
stan explorer. Conn Cameron. who waa ~
ssstvstl with applause, aprluGiTad fnt not hRv
Inc hta papnI prepared. lnt ha dtd net 10
liev. In not detailing the manners and niiatnma
1T the pAppla III Irra, III G'ntral Nfiina this
would tn u ,irH whauk. VIln was One Of tha
tarpeat native Rtat0a of hftiGa IT. Wna
boinlsd pn the east by Tanaauyiha. IN III"
north hy independent trihas In Mangtlotna.
On the west ny Iriuda. and ON tho south by
The mountains south nj tn" tIake hatauN'lh.
The utnat chief wRa kHsnIlHa, ani tho race
,yaa narl,spe tho mnsi civilized In Central
Africa. The chief claimed divine hoilotH. On
hia death all hia wivne but ON" waa alatiall
tered ~ the grave, and tho ono wilnan life was
mt taken wan handed uvnt w. the ntiiai q ate
ueastaf. The centre ~ the TallHinu III the pMp~
nla was ai Idol, which wna hold ~ great rava
franrns
Tho idol waa placed Ill tho midst III 4 lanaa
iuuulp. and Ii had InI Il wIfN pna ~ tho atafafR
III the rei1uInR aoveraian. Under Tho pti,oi
nal chief were smaller oIlnfa. who Ind col
lactetl and paid over to the a"tnrelGn tribute"
He had aanil thia tribute onrne In. and aatne ot
n mtiat have come from distant patta III tho
country. There waH q numerous elaaa OF
wizards In the country who did n largo tiada
In idols and Gharua. Many "t the wizards
wsrn y~f,ntrilouulRta. and in THE way tho Idols
were. made tD give nnpwria tn tho uunitthna
nut To them. tania wRp very CLEARLY defined
In tho race, No one dare alt town In tho
pruaenre ~ the chief without pnrmiaatnn.
which was very seldom granted In ono "aaa
where. In tho Travellers pIoAcfion, n native
hal neg lnetad etiunNiin. severe punishment
was about ~ ha inflicted. Int tue tfRYatnr
na vFl tho offender.
Authority was maintained ~ mutilafinn.
u Handa. feet. enra. nosra were mntilated. ani
Tho natiyra ala not arrui ~ mlid II mnnhe
Ono woman had cut on hnI own cars. inns
woman was one ot kpanuAa,a wly'aR, no hatt
about 1000 uf them. Hhe Rak"i parmtaainl 10
mutllata heraclf. and did H. ri once. IhahatlY
guard nf the chief was composed to a ateat
extent uf mutiiated people. whose affection
for the chief seemed In no way deereaa"d In.
deed 1t would appear TINT mutilatton strength
anei their regard for thCir chint. The nat,n
Of the Idol waR KunGN n lanza. and profound
reverence was shown " ". Fire was obtained
by friction from n tlrn block. anti ~ one eaa'
the pl,irf nanH tho shin bone ~ enc ~ t~lianti1ar
chiefs whom hn had conquered The di'sna ~
the us~nnln was very aiulpln. combating 1T MI
aaron. Msmtnra IN tho royal family wore
three large skins. and Junior mctnheia ~ the
family wore apfotla % grrrn monltey akina.
The hair dressing ~ this p"ntlo WA cur
Qua, varying more with distIirta than with
rank. In aome caanR II WA worked M int5
four ring platte croasina nj the top ot tho
head like n crown, and surrounded NJ tia hot-
tom by n band OF eowrien 81 other ahells
Rkeweis were inserted In tho hair. ono end o'
which could be used In tsttnoing. Tho PEG.
ple were not a hairy race, hut they managed
to grow their Boards long. and plated tlhm
like a Ghinaman's pl1iaiI, uanally putting n'
tho end Of each a lump ~ mud tD wniRhl u
hotun ar tho bnaIsIa reached to the whtaia
The women not having baalda ~ niniaf
thpmpalxaA with, were tattnOci 'xfnflalvnly
TattuninA generally commenced al tho ago ~
seven. and might be comple'eh ~ tho age ~
twelve or fourteen. which was the Rga nf mar
rtage. beautiful patterns were naHi, anu thN
tattanlnu was done In raiaNd outs, Sometimes
n huahnnd. when he was dtapleaaad with MS
wife. out on all thpRe rHtRed ptecns. ahd th'
waman could not appear again In public. aa'
yaa not received again In socinty until an
was retattoaed.
lie Jaw one of their wnddingn. which wa
very curious. The fostivttiea laated aaVeta
DAYS, A ring VIVA formed "r tho hhttHea. wv
men With big druma being IN the centre. In
druna we're pla yad and the paople foHll'
danced. Tho bride was brought ont. ht''aaA'
In feathers and other iinnry. ~ tho aitnttlhsI
III tho women. The hTidn threw Rilalla M
beu.sia about, for which there waa = aornlnhit
ua the ppRaraalOn or them was enppt#4sN y
Nnfer good luCh ultimately tho hushat'
Wme into tho ring. and putting the bf'a'
under hia arm carried her OF. lte menus .
communication waa Ivy drum siEnnla. Inc,
had u call on the drum for Hvaryoody - name
and they could AJAX urIcattofia and conway IN
ta%lltrnnee over hundreds of miles ana rhtsiV
answers almost Immediately. In war nlee
saues wer,s constantly anpt olortnoua nla
tanc@ to bring up rolnf"rc"mer's ar 10 aso
their coming. The Iuaas of the people hFts
In huta or on dry land. hut there. WA one !"
two exceptions tn thts. iln Raw two taAn" =
which the peoI'ln wrr" living ~ h'fa ~ 81
csaa the panpla had covered tho long ETna
growing in Tho water with earth. nnd nH tina
had built their huta. III the nthN ITO hut
were built on pil"a. Inc language 81 ~
country belonged ~ the sam" broad iainll
which atrptrhel across tho largo bolt {
Africa traveraai Ivy him. and the Gramma
WIS on tho same principles "a tho sihiniiia
of tho Swaali.