Connecticut western news., 1879-03-05
THE KAFFIRS AT HOME.
HOW ENGLAND's TROUBLESOME AFRICAr
 FOES LIVE, DRESS AND MARRY.

While the Kafir question is on the tapis the following facts and personal observations may be of interest The Zulu Kafirs are fine, muscular race of men, very black and infinitely superior in every respect to the Finjos Cor "dogs," for such in the Kaffir language is the literal interpretation of the word), who were formerly slaves to the Kafirs. The Kafirs live in huts, or "kraals, !" made of mud, the framework being con- posed of young trees or pliant saplings, interlaced until they resemble gigantic bird-cage. The floors, 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 feas, and would be perfectly uninhabitable for Europeans. The Kaffirs live almost entirely upon beef and Indian corn or "mealies. They cook the latter in the husk or beat it with stones until it resembles a sort of coarse flour, when it is either boiled CT 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 Kafir, with few exceptions, is an incor- rigible 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 Kafirs are unexceptionally hospitable, and stranger journeying from other towns has simply to enter the first house he comes to to insure welcome. A young man desiring wife must present the father of his intended bride with so many head of cattle, generally twelve, but varying in number according to the means of the would-be bridegroom or the value the parent places on the daughter. Cases exist of hopeful men who have been working for years for the parent of their intended and though the heyday of their youth is passed, still toll on in celibacy. Nearly all the Fin jos and great portion of the Kafirs have been Christianized, and among these the marriage ceremony is per- formed in the usual manner by mis- sionares. There are great number of native teachers and young girls in the mission stations, who attend school daily and on Sundays go to divine ser vice, some in full European costumes, others in long flowing robes of cotton or muslin and some even in the usual red blankets, with their faces frightfally disfgured by red paint. These latter are in 8 minority, and are greatly looked down upon by their more civilized neighbors, by whom they are called the "wild Kafirs." Among the heather portion the necessary number of cattle is turned over by the bridegroom to the father of the bride, who is forthwith given as receipt, and no further mar riage rites are deemed necessary.
 Chiefs are universally respected. Not single incident of infidelity to one is known. A Kafir will willingly sacri- fee all his worldly possessions or lay down his life for his chief. Each tribe has one great chief, who takes his rank by hereditary descent, and several petty chiefs. The native dress of the Kafirs worn alike by both sexes-is simply a red blanket, made of coarse cloth, GOV ering the shoulders and reaching nearly to the ground. A man invariably car ries an assegal, or spear, with which he often kills the wild buck which abound ip every forest,