Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-10-10
Curious Customs Of al African, Tribe.

Curious Customs OF al African ETiDe.
&c tic late meeL0g # The British A55Ccia-
ton Commander Cameron, Il. NJ, addressed
tie audience On the renocra and cus!oms Of
the people OF Uilo, Central Area. 1t was
bouadtd en- the east BY tho Tspgauik', On the
west by The equity of u uaG. on Tie uMtl by The
territory Of Independent tribes, tnl on The
south By az extensive mountain Iarg2. Ii was
difficult to understand how g sogle cti.t could
mainIa.n a.rule over such a vast district, the
| means of communication being SO scauty; but
he appointed chi, Fl to AIT uudtr hiu, the 70.
| teution Of Office being solely dependent upoD
| his will. COusaugo. The king, or principal
chief, claimed Divine power, and at his death
was buried with savage rites, aud all lis wives.
eXcapt one, were slaughtered al his grave.
This ems remained 10 DO the pylhoness of his
successor, aAd tho spilit of tic chief at bis
| death was supposed 10 DO transmitted into the
body OF his SUCCESSOR. An idol was preserved
in the midst Of dense jungle. who had for e
wife one Of the sisters Of the reignirg sovereign.
No one waa permitted to visit tho idol exc apt
| his wife ard the king. Cousaugc, at his dis
creiion. cut off people hands, feet, eals. noses,
| lips a0d, curious II relate, among those mu
tilated wfetches are found the most faithful to
the ohicl who followed him about as a personal
guarl. The ezecuti0uer cut off hand very
! skliIfuy, aud 10 order 10 slluGch the flow OF
blood thu stump WIS plunged into a dish Of
boiling p0lrIdge. Tbs wound Was then bound
over. anl in short lime healed without leav-
lug any considerable soar Oue of Cousaugo's
numerous wiVes-he haa thousand OF them
Oltere to submit to tho cutting c # Of her ezra
| il the chief Wtuli riva hlr slave
lie complied, aud cut off her eals, matter
| which seemed to give her neither pain nor
grlei. The customs in eating, drinking and
cooking were various. They decline to drink
in tho presence OF each other and although
fond Of tho native beer, they would not drink
it while anybody was locking on, although it
was suGioic1t to hold up cloth 40 q screen.
Cousango was little more free in this respc c.
than other persons. aud allowed the hereditary
chiefs to light his tiraa aud prepare his food.
The Ere was obtained by friction, iu which usa
was made Of the shin bono CT one Of the chiefs
when lie had conquered. All tho different
castles and ranks were marked aud distinguished
by their trss. Tho nttira was very simple,
consisting usually Of an apron. C0usaugo's full
dress was three leopard skins and al apron
The jlncr members of the royal family wore
froeu monkey skins. ard each special 81 lss had
its own distinctive skin.
| Ncgooi, who wss threatened with tie loss oil
MS cars, meant a bird, and his apron was oil
| birds skin. Anyone acquainted with the cum.
try aouli know at ouce what mans rank was
10 tho naticD by his dress. They wers go. o
hairy 7as,, Tut managed 20 grow their boards
very !cop, and they pia;ed them after the men
ccr Ct toe ChiGese pigtais, winding up with g
bal! OF dirt at the ED to make it hang down
strsight. Some Of tho men had their haiy
hanglcg d1Wl rs Tax IS the waist Ia tho siGelC
plat. The women vas taoocd mlSs tXtcn
slvc'y, scmo OF the patterns worked on TIC eku
being very beautiful, and taking years to com
pIcte. Weddings generally lasted three or four
days. lie was present at one, aud had az cp-
pottuuty of witnessing the festivities. AL! thu
people in the village assembled. Some men,
blowing pipes aud beating drums, stood IN The
couter OF great circle Of people. who danced
around them, gr2anirg and bowling and making
great noisc.
This WIS kept up day and night. Suddenly,
at the end oftbe third dsy, the bride came out q
q hut. dressed in sill the fnery tho village could
muster. She wore q small apron made of q
piece OF linen, which he had given to the chief,
and was adorned with feathers, beads and shells.
She was carried on the shoulders OF q very stout
woman, and supported by a woman on each side.
Sho was brought into tho middle of tho dancing
people. and jumped up and down on the should
ers Of tho woman. A number of bends and
J shells were given to her, which she scattered
sbou: ind !scrimiuately, and tho people scram.
| bed Tor them, rs they WerO considered to pcs.
sess some virtue as charms. The Jumping up
aad down OF the bride was carried on go ener-
getcslly that tho skin was completely worn of
The shoulders of the woman who carried her.
Then the, husband, 8 great big fellow, came in
and walked of with her. The means CT COM
municating news YVES by drums and messengers.
The men could run very fss.-one man, for in.
stance, brought him q message from tho king,
having come distance of between fifty and six
~ miles In period Of six hours. by meEns Of
certain beats on tho drum messages could be
sout immense distances, and answers i'm mediate
~ returned. In time of war the hing could
send messages TO u great distance, either TO
oling up his forces OF once or to say that ho was
| retlrn and that 40 unra IF, Yo hucI-