River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-10-16
EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE.
Commander Cameron's Account of the Most
Civilized Race in Central Africa.

Civilized Race in Central Africa.
London Times.
AT the meeting of the British associa-
ton at Sheffield on August 23d, the we'll
known African explorer, Commander
Cameron, who was received with an
plause, apologized for not having his
paper prepared, but he did not believe, in
detailing the manners and customs of the
people of Urua, in Central Africa, this
would be a drawback. Urua was one of
the largest native states in Africa. 1t was
bounded on the east by Tanganyika, on
the north by independent tribes in Man
guema, on the west by Ulunda, and on
the south by mountains nth OF the lake
OF Bangeoso. The great chief was Ka-
songo, an6 the race was perhaps the most
civilized ii Central Africa. The chief
claimed Divine honors. On his death all
his wives save one were slaughtered at his
grave, and the one whose life was not
taken wasyhanded over to the chiefs sue.
successors The spirit of the deceased
prince was supposed to pass into the body
of the successor. The centre of the re.
ligion of the people was an idol, which
was held in great reverence.
The idol was placed in the midst Of
dense Jungle, and it had for wife one of
the sisters of the reigning sovereign.
Under the principal chief were smaller
chiefs, who collected and paid over to
the sovereign tribute. He had seen this
tribute come in, and some of it must have
the chief IA taught The name of the
idol was kungwe a BanZa, and profound
reverence was shown to it. Fire was OBJ
tanned by fviction from q fire block, and
in one case the chief used the shin bone
of one OF the other chiefs who had been
conquered. The dress of the people was
very simple consisting of an apron. Mem
hers of the royal family wore three large
skins, and Junior members of the family
wore aprons of green monkey skins.
The hair dressing of this people was
curious, varying more with districts than
with rank. In some cases it was worked
up into four ring plates crossed at the top
of the head like a crown, and surrounded
at the Bottom with band of cowries or
other shells. Skewers were inserted in
the hair, one end of which could be used
an tatooipg. The people WI 70 not hairy
race, but they managed t. grow their
boards long, and plated them like a
Chinameu's pigtail, usually putting at
the end of each lump of mud to weigh
il. Some Of the boards reached to the
waists. The women, not having boards
TO amuse themselves with. were tatooed
extensively. Tatooing usually commenced
at the age of seven, and might be COM
pleted about the age of twelve or four
teen, which was the time for marriage.
Beautiful patterns were used, and the
tatooing was done in raised cuts. Some
times a husband, when he was displeased
with his wife, cut off all these raised
pieces and the woman could not appear
in public again; she was not received in
society until she was re-tattooed.
He saw one of their weddings. which
was very curious. The festivities lasted
several days. A ring was formed OF the
come from distant parts of the country.
There was a numerous class of wizards in
the country who did large trade in idols
and charms. Many of the wizards were
ventriJoquists, and in this way the idols
were made to give answers to the questions
put to them. Caste was very clearly de-
fined in the race. No one dare sitdown
in the presence of the chief without per
mission, which was very seldom granted.
In one place where, in the travellers pres
ence, a native had neglected etiquette, Sc
we're punishment was about TO be infict-
ed, but the traveller saved the offender.
Authority was maintained by mutila-
ton. Hands feet, ears, noses were mu.
tilatcd, and the natives did not seem to
mind it much. One woman had cut oil
her own ears. This woman was one Of
Kasongos wives; he had about 200 of
them. She asked permission to mutilate
herself, and she did it at once. The
body guard of the chief was composed TO
a great extent Of mutilatcd people, whose
affection for the chief seemed in no way
decreased; indeed, it would appear that
mutilatton strengthened their regard for
natives, two men with big drums being in
the middle The drums were played and
the people round danced The bride
was brought out, dressed in feathers and
other iinery, on the shoulders of two or
three women; she was taken in the mid
of the ring, and was jumped up and
down on the shoulders Of the women.
The bride threw shells and beads about,
for which there was scramble, as the
possessiGD of them was supposed to con-
fer luck Ultimately the husband came
into the ting, and putting the bride under
his arm carried her off. The means Of
communication was by drum signals.
They had call on the drum for every
body's name, and they could ask ques-
tions and convey intelligence over hun
dreds of miles, and receive answers al.
most Immediately. In war messages were
sent enormous distances to bring up rein
forcen' ents or to stop their coming. The
mass of the people live in huts on dry
land but there were one or two ex-
ceptions to this. lie saw two lakes ON
which people were living in huts. In
one case the people had covered over the
long grass growing in the water with
earth, and on that had built their huts
in the other the huts were built on piles.
The language of the country belonged to
the same broad family which stretched
across the large belt of Africa traversed
by him. and the grammar was on the same
principles as the grammar of the Swaeli.