The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-24
AN EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE.
CamerOn,s Account of the Most Cav.
ilizeh Race In Central Africa.

| lNuutTOu'S ACCOuut VI thc NsOss Wv
ilized Race In Central Africa.
At the meeting Of the British Associa-
tion at Sheffield, on August 23d, the we'll
known African explorer, Commander
Cameron, who was received with ap-
plause, apologized for not having his
paper prepared, but he did not believe in
not detailing the manners and customs
of the people in Urua, Central Africa;
this would be a drawback. Urua was
one of the largest native States of Africa.
1t was bounded OH the east by Tangany-
ika, on the north by independent tribes
in Monguema, on the west by Urunda,
and on the south by the mountains south
of the Lake Bangueola. The great chief
was Kasonga. and the race was perhaps
the most civilized in Central Africa. The
chief claimed divine honors. On his
death all his wives but one were slaugh-
tered at the grave, and the one whose life
was not taken was handed over to the
chiefs successor. The center of the re-
ligion Of the people was an idol, which
was held in great reverence.
The idol was placed in the midst of a
dense jungle, and it had for wife one of
the sisters Of the reigning sovereign.
Under the principal chief were smaller
chiefs, who had collected and paid over
to the sovereign tribute. He had seen
this tribute come in, and some of it must
have come from distant parts of the
country. There was numerous class of
wizards in the country, who did large
trade in idols and charms Many of the
wizards were ventriloquists, and in this
way the idols were made to give answers
to thequestions put to them. Caste was
very clearly defined in the race. No one
dare to sit down in the presence of the
chief without permission, which was very
seldom granted. In one case, where, in
the travellers presence, native had
neglected etiquette, severe punishment
was about to be inflicted, but the trav-
eler saved the offender.
Authority was maintained by mutila-
ton. Hands, feet, ears, noses were mu-
tilated, and the natives did not seem to
mind it much. One woman had cut off
her own ears. This woman was one of
Kasonga's wives; he had about one thou
sand of them. She asked permission to
mutilate herself. and did it at once. The
body-guard Of the chief was composed to
a great extent of mutilated people, whose
affection for the chief seemed in no way
decreased; indeed, it would appear that
mutllatinn strengthened their regards for
their chief. A laugh.] The name of
the idol was Kunge Banza, and pro-
found reverence was shown to it. Fire
was obtained by friction from a fire.
block, and in one case the chief used the
shin-bone of one of the other chiefs whom
he had conquered. TAe dress of the peo-
pie was very simple, consisting of an
apron. Members of the royal family
wore three large skins, and junior mem
bers 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 plaits crossing at the
toFof the head like a crown, and sur
rounded at the bottom by band Of
cowries or other shells. Skewers were in
serted in the hair, one end of which
could be used in tattooing. The people
were not hairy race, but they managed
to grow their boards long. and plated
them like Chnaman's pig-tail, usually
putting at the end of each lump of
mud to weight it. Some of the boards
reached to the waists. The women, not
having boards to amuse themselves withi
were tattooed extensively. Tattooing
generally commenced at the age of seven,
and might be completed at the age of
twelve or fourteen, which was the age of
marriage. Beautiful patterns were used,
and the taytooing was done in raised cuts.
Sometimes husband, when he was dis
pleased with his wife, cut off all these
raised places, and the woman could not
appear again in public; she was not re-
ceived again in society until she was re-
tattooed. Laughter.
He saw one Of their weddings, which
was very curious. = The festivities lasted
several days. A ring was formed of the
natives, two men with big drums being
in the center. The drums were played
and the people round danced. The bride
was brought out, dressed in feathers and
other finery, on the shoulders of the
women. The bride threw the beads
about, for which there was a scramble,
as the possession of them was supposed
to confer good luck. Ultimately the
husband came into the ring, and, putting
the bride under his arm, carried her off
Laughter The means of communica
ton was by drum signals. They had a
call on the drum for every body's name
and they could ask questions and convey
intelligence over hundreds Of miles, ano
receive answers almost Immediately.
In war messages were constantly sem
J enormous distances to bring up reinforce
J ments or to stop their coming. The mas
of people lived in huts on dry land, bu
J there were one or two exceptions to this
He saw two lakes on which the people
were living in huts. In one case thu
, people had covered the long grass grow
: ing in the water with earth, and on tina
; had built their huts; in the other tn
: huts were built on piles. The Language
of the country belonged to the sam'
broad family which stretched across tn
large belt of Africa traversed by him