Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-10-08
EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE.
COMMANDER CAMERON's ACCOUNT OF
THE MOST CIVILIZED RACE IN
CENTRAL AFRICA
London Times. I

London Times
At the meeting of the British Asso
citation at Sheffield on August 23rd
the well-known African explorer, Com
mander Cameron, who was received
with great applause, aplogized for not
having his paper prepared, but he die
not believe, in detailing the manner:
and customs of the people of Urua, il
| Central Africa, this would be draw
back Urua was one of the largest
native States in Africa Itwas bound
ed on the east by Tanganyika, on the
north by Independent tribes in Man
guema, on the west by Ulunda, and or
the south by mountains south of the
lake of Bangueolo. The great chic
was Kasongo, and the race was per
haps the most civilized in Centra
Africa. The chief claimed divine hon
ors. On his death all his wives save
one was slaughtered at the grave, and
the one whose life was not taken was
handed over to his successor. The
spirit of the deceased prince was sup
posed to pass into the body of the sue
cessor. The centre of the religion o.
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 SOW.
ereign Under the principal chiefs
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 come from dis
tant 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 the questions put to them. Caste
was very clearly defined in the race.
No one dares sit down in the presence
of the chief without permission, which
was very seldom granted. In one
case where, in the travellers presence,
a native had neglected etiquette, severe
punishment was about to be inflicted,
but the traveller saved the offender.
Authority was maintained by mutt
lation Hands, feet, ears, noses, were
mutilated, and the natives did not
seem to mind it much One woman
had cut off her own ears This woman
was one of Kasongo's wives he had
about one thousand 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 mutilated people, whose
affection for the chief seemed in nc
way decreased. Indeed, it would ap-
pear that mutilation strengthened their
regard for their chief A laugh. |
The name Of the idol was Kungwe a
Banza, and profound reverence was
shown to it. Fire was obtained by
friction from fire block, and in one
case chief used the shin bone Of one
of the other chiefs who had been con-
quered The dress of the people was
very simple, consisting of an apron.
Members 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 plaits crossed
at the top of the head like a crown,
and surrounded at the bottom with a
band of cowries or other shells. Skew
ers were inserted in the hair, one end
of which could be used in tattooing.
The people were not a hairy race, but
they managed to grow their boards
long, and plated them like a China
mans pigtail, usually putting at the
end Of each lump Of mud to weigh
it. Some Of the boards reached to the
waists. The women, not having boards
to amuse themselves with, were tat
TODD extensively. Tattooing usually
commenced at the age Of seven, and
might be completed about the age o
twelve or fourteen, which was tho
time for marriage Beautiful patterns
were used, and the tattooing was done
in raised cuts Sometimes 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 into so
cety until she was retattooed. Laugh
ter.
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 blt
drums being in the middle. The
drums were played and the people
round danced. The bride was brough
out, dressed in feathers and othe
Gnery, on the shoulders Of two o
three women. The bride threw shells
and beads about, for which there was
a scramble, as the possession of then
was supposed to confer luck. Ultl
mately the husband came into th'
/ ring, and putting the bride under he
arm carried her off Laughter. Th'
| means Of communication was by drum
signals. They had call on the drum
for everybody's name, and they coult
ask questions and convey intelligence
over hundreds of miles, and receive
answers almost Immediately. In war
messages were constantly sent enor
nous distances to bring up reinforce
ments or to stop their coming. Th
mass Of the people lived in huts OF
dry land, but there were one or tw
exceptions to this He saw two lake
on which people were living in huts
In one case the people had covere'
over the long grass growing in tn
water with earth, and on that ha
built their huts in the other the hut
were built on piles The language 9
the country belonged to the same broa
family which stretched across tn
large belt Of Africa traversed by HIN
and the grammar was on the sam
principles as the grammar Of tn