New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-17
COLONISTS IN LIBERIA.

DIR. BLYDEN'S VIEWS ON THAT COUNTRY.
HABITS AND CIVILIZATION OF THE ABohdINES-
HOW THE EMIGRAvrs FROM THIS COUNTRY
LIVE AND HAVE PRosPERED.
I'm a cosey room in West Twenty sixth-st.,
surrounded with books ard pamphlets in many tongues
the Rev. Dr. Edward w. Blvd president OF the coored
college in Liberia is staying during his visit In this CITY
Blyden Is a purc-booded negro. with thick curry nar
I'm which now and then appear traces OF gray aud whe
His features arc those Of the typical African, except
nerhaps the forehead which is high. DR. Blyden was
born in St. Thomas West Indies AZ the age OF seven
teen he went to LIBERIA where no received
the larger part of his education. de mas
travelled in Egypt Syria aud other parts OF the East
and has taken several through Europe lie s tne
author Of book entitled "From West Africa TO Paies
tine" and has been contributor to Frasers Magazine
Dr. Blyden Is engaged in translatlng the Risaat
or Letters on the Law" book In the Arabic tongue
In recent conversation with TRIBUNE reporter on the
manners customs and habits Of life OF the sborgnes OF
Liberia DR.. Blyden related the following facts;
"You must know" said Dr. Blyden, "that there are
two classes IN Liberia the colonisH ana
the aborgnes The latter consist Of several trbes-the
Pessehs GOlahs Veys. Mendingos, Bassas, Kroos ana
Grebos They are tho aboriginal people OF the Repub
lc Each tribe has its chief, whose word Ia law. The
Pesehs perhaps tho largest tribe They form the
peasanty Of the coast, and treat farming people
The Mendingos the commercial tribe. They control
oil OF the interior ana also the trade between
the head OF the River Niger and the coast They
are the intelligent Of all the tribes They ara Ma
houetans and in their schools and mosques they use
the Arabic anguaso Their laws from the Arabic,
taken from tho Koran and the Traditions
Here is the Risalat," said Dr. Blyden, TAX
ing q book from the top OF large table
that piled high with trestises In the
Arabic. Persian, Hebrew, Greek and syriac tongues
Bibles, K0rans and lot Of pamphlets urging the cleo
~ forC Il
book" continued DR. Byden, "b treatise the laws,
written with reed Of bamboo in ink which 10 ndeble
and s taken from the leaves OF tree common In that
country Occasionally you the page words writ
in red ink. Well the red ink 10 also indelbe and Is
taken rom the leaves OF tree also. The word Ma
homet Is always in red ink"
"Whs wrste the bookf"
at was written by a man white man
end TO whom you only give any SORT
OF Idea Of white man by hkea-
ing HIM to ghost. This poem In the first part OF
the book is called the DaYa because every verse
every llne being verse-begins with the letter d..
There 500 Every student is required to COM
nit the poem memory; and he must also commit the
whole Of the Koran 10 Arabic
But this la depression we were talking about the
tribes Next in int gence 70 tine Mendngos are the Veys
They occupy the portion Of the Repu6co
the coast extending fifty miles into the interior 1t IL
portion OF the territory that Is now a sub
beria Is known the northwest boundary question
The veys have invented language OF their own and
write In the characters Of that language II is syllable
alphabet each character representing syllable Tney
have schools In which they teach their language In
reading the vri OF these different tribes, you begin
on rgut Of the page and read toward the middle OF
the book and not from left to right as we do
"The ribs next In Importance the Kroos. Their
native home the county of snou in the central part
OF the Republic The KrOoS are found all along the
coast They the sailors, without whom 1t would be
impossible foreign vessels to trade that maarous
coast Foreign ships on arriving on the coast
employ Kroo to their boats
for loading and unloading. They are considered
indispensable. The Bassa tribe the great palmoil
producers"
"What is the religion OF these peOplef"
"All OF the tribes except tho Mendingos pagans.
But they have no regular dow orship They all
believe in a supreme being to whom they pray particu
lary in lines OF distresa"
"Hsw do they liver"
ain towns, presided by headman, who ia
responsible superior officer called tho chief who is
in turn ruled by another moro powerful chief All Gull
tiyate the soil, raise cattle and other stock"
what is the style Of dress of the natiyes"
"The coast tribes wear ceth around
their IONS. The cloth IL OF their manufac-
ure The tribes the Interior where cotton IL cultvat
ed wear long robe similar to the Roman togs. They
rngs and bracelets.
These hrt-studs." said Dr. Byden, pointing IN some
plain gold studs In his shirt bosom, made by the
natives out OF African gold IT ia strange to that tho
Indians OF thi, country dill discover gold and It,
The Africans did"
"How many do these tribes number all togetherl"
zone million people within the territories OF Liberia,
which extend 600 miles along the coast aud 200
mile, inland. The natives produce palm
OIL camwsod, ivory, golddust. rubber,
guncopal hides and beeswaK Most OF these products
20 to Europe-to Liverpool. Hamburg and Rotterdam"
what part do the coionsts from this country play
thereT
IAN OF the inhabitants are under the control of the
Liberian colonsts-negroes from America. They are
represented in the Lb-rian Legislature by their chiefs
What sort of amusemeuts do the aoorgines indulge
I'M"
"Au OF the tribes except the Mendlngos. have rude
musical struments for entertainments in the festival
season. They lmproyise songs, especially Of
martial character, which tell OF the
deeds of their fathers They dance around fires In
manner similar TO that of the indians OF America They
are ,ovia and happy In their temperament. One char
acterstc negro home Is that ne sings during
his work In these they in marked contrast
with the Indians, who are always sullen"
How is the climate Ia Liberia Z"
found it notter here I'm July than ever found it In
Liberia wear thick fannes there just rs am wear
ing to-day"
what do the natives eat 7"
Rice principally Then they have mutton, beef, nsh,
potatoes and ysms They drink palm wine
thar ia wue made from the palm tree 1t Is not nsXl
eating unless taken IN very large quantities.. The Men
dngo who are great warriors and large, powerful
men az well scholars and merchants drink no smu-