The Osceola times., 1879-03-15
THEY DON'T MIND FLEAS.
The F.%caIimriiies aud Habiis of the zaiu
kamrs.

The Peculiar lilies aud hnbits OF the hoiu
New York World.
The Zulu Kaffirs are fine, muscular
race of men, very black, and infinitely
superior in every respect to the Finjos
Cor "dogs,' for such in the kaffir an~
guage is the literal Interpretation of the
word), who were formerly slaves to the
Kafirs. The Ksffip live in huts or
T" "kraals," made of mud, the framework
being composed of young trees or plant
ssplings interlaced until they resemble
gigantic bird.csg The foors, also OF
mud, are generally covered with few
mats, the sole furniture being one or two
cooking pots. These huts In the warm
weather literally swarm with Aess, and
would be perfectly uninhabitable for
Europeans. The ksffirs live almost en-.
tirely upon beet and Indian corn or
" mealies. They cook the latter in the
husk or beat it with stones until 1t re-
sembles q sort of coarse -four, when it IL
either boiled or made into bread They
also consume large quantities OF milk
Pigs and poultry are also reared, but
generally for sale to the settlers. The
civilized Ksffir, with few exceptions, is
an incorrigible drunkard, and when under
the influence of drink both quarrelsome
and dangerous. Nearly all the hardest
and most menial work is performed by
the women, who are mere slaves to their
masters.
Like most native races the Kaffirs are
unexceptionally hospitsble, and stran-
ger journeying frt m other towns has
simply to enter the first house he Gomez
to to insure a welcome. A young man
desiring a wife must present the father
of his intended bride with 80 many head
of cattle, generally twelve, but varying
in number according to the means OF the
would. bridegroom or the value the
pare mt places on the daughter. Cases
exist of hopeful men who have been
working for years for The parent OF their
intended, and though the heydsy of their
youth is passed. still toll on in celibacy.
Nearly ali the Finjo. and great portion
of the Ksffirs have been christianized,
and among these the marriage ceremony
| is performed in the usual manner by the
missionaries. There are great number
of native teachers and young girls in the
mission stations, who attend schools
| daily and on Sundays 60 to divine ser-
vice, some in full European costumes,
Others in long flowing robes of cotton OF
muslin, and some even in the usual red
blankets, with their faces irightfully dis
| figured by red paint. These latter are
in a minority and are greatly looked
down upon by their more civilized neigh.
bors, by whom they are called the wild
Kaffirs." Among the heather portion
the necessary number of cattle Is turned
over by the bridegroom to the father oi
the bride, who is forthwith given as 8
receirt, and no further marriage rites are
| necessary.
Chiefs are universally respected. Not
a single incident of inidelity to one is
known. A Kaffir will willingly sacrifice
all his worldly possessions or lay down his
life for his chief. Each tribe has one
great chief, who takes rank by heredi.
tsry descent, and several petty chiefs.
The native dress of the Ksfirs-worn
alike by both sexes-is simply red
blanket, made Of coarse cloth, covering
the shoulders and reaching nearly to the
, ground. A man invariably carries an
sssegal or spear, with which he often
kills the wild buck which abound in
every forest.