River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-29
A QUEER PEOPLE.
Africans Who Believe the White
Man 70 be Devil-Strange Gus.
toms and Beliefs

toms and Beliefs.
Rev. William A. Fair, missionary
who recently returned from the west
coast of Africa, gave the following ac-
count in lecture delivered in Cleye-
lind, OHIO, and reported by the Leader
of that city, of the strange people in
habittng that part of the globe, from
which the following is extracted:
The people are very careful to keep
their teeth clean, and those who own
tooth brushes carry them over their
ears as clerk does his pencil. Provi-
ded with beaver hat, tooth brush, a
leather purse end number of ivory and
brass rings for his limbs, the native re-
quires little else to make him man OF
fashion, Each man has as many wives
as he can support, and as the latter dc
all the work, those who are we'll proyi-
ded for have little labor to perform.
They believe in God who created all
things; also in devil; and
az the latter is very powerful and
dispose to do them harm, they try by
| ali means to propitiate him. Contrary
| to our supposition, they regard him as
being white instead of black, and when
1
with their great slips filled with rooms
| and propelled by some mysterious
means, they thought the devils had come
10 visit them. Even now that SUPPOSE
| ton is not entirely eradica ted, AMI more
by habit thar. anything else they call us
| devils. They do not know us by any other
| name, and call US such with exactly the
same meaning DIS we call them negroes.
Among the majority of them the belief
| still fingers that we are related to the
| king OF terrors, and as they regard him
with certain amount OF awe and
reverence. we are allowed many priv
ileges which they do not acco.d to one
| another. They have what is called
devil men, who propitiate the evil
| spirits and prevent them from do ing
| harm by means ofeharms. Little leather
bags, supposed to possess mystic power
are sold by them at high prices, and the
natives pay them well for sticking lit
tie pieces of wood in triangular form
in front OF their huts. The same charms
are frequntly seen on the sea shore to
| guard against the evil spirit of the deep.
reside on the highest rock near
| to village, and he is daily furnished
| with food and drink placed there by
| those who fear his power. One day
| white man, who cutting wood, partook
of the food thus set forth, and the peo-
| pie raised a great outcry against him; but
| their wrath was alayed when one of
| them said it was not the devil himself he
| was the devils brother, and entitled To
| his share. Little scared fires are kept
| burning before the doors of the hut for
| the comfort of the guardian spirit who is
supposed to watch over each individual
| habitation. When a woman throws wa
| ter out of the door she says words equi-
| valent to "excuse me-" fearing that the
spirit will depart if he is splashed and
| not given warning to get out of the way
| They believe that the spirits of the dead
inhahit the earth, watching over their
| former friends, and tormenting their
| former enemies. This fact, as we'll as
| their beliefin witchcraft, has much to do
| with the extreme peacefulness of their
| society and their reticence to pick a
| quarrel. Witchcraft they believe in inn
| plicitly. If a man dies of consumption,
| smallpox, or any other disease or acct
/ dent, and any person can be remember
| ed to have spoken ill or quarreled
| with him, that person is said to have
| caused his death by witchcraft. If the
| witch be woman, she is given three
| bowls filled with deadly poison, and il
man, he is given four bowls of the
| same mixture. If the unfortunate be-
| ing accused of witchcraft has weak
stomach which rejects the poison, he is
| supposed to be innocent, but II his stom-
/ ach is strong and retains the deadly in
| fusion he is guilty. When the body of
| the victim begins to swell, and death
! is seen drawing near, the people seize
| him, and dragging him out into the open
| air pelt him with stones and clubs, and
injure him in every possible manner I'M
| ill he dies. fl person accused of being
| itnI 1rit ha ic
placed in the loft of hut and hot fire
| bull under him. Pepper is thrown into
| TIE flames, and the tortured being in the
| loft soon consents to risk the trial OF
| the powerful drug. The mannerof find
| ing the person who caused the death of
| auy one is as follows: The corpse is
sometimes placed on the shoulders of
| the relatives, who pretended to be
moved by the spirit of the departed,
| witch's door. One of the offices pro
formed by the devil men
is TO watch sharply for any con-
| troversy that may take place between
| any two people, and when one of the N
| dies the other is accused of causing his
| death. | have seen mothers killed. r
| the death of their babes, having chas-
| tised them at some former time for a
misdemeanor. A high priest lives in
/
| are peculiarly sacred. If a man IS pur-
| sued by crowd of his fellows for hav-
| ing committed some deed, and he steps
across the threshold of a priests house,
| he is safe from injury, and if the high
| priest places his hand on his head he is
| exempt from all further vengeance.
| When man wishes to satisfy vengeance
| any other person who may have done
| him any injury, he goes to the priests
1 \ 4.
| placed before the door tor that purpose.
| If the priest asks no questions he is at
| liberty TO take the other mans life, but
| if he questions che injured person and
| prohibits the settlement of the affair in
| that manner, sort of trial is held and
| punishment melted by order OF the
| priest. BY these wise laws the natives
| are prevented from acting indiscrectly
when excited, and they are obliged to
wait, until they say their hearts lie
| down" The morning sautation of the
| natives is, 81 am glad you have come
| out" meaning that they rejoice to see
| you have revived from the death-liSe
! repose of sleep.
| Sap is collected in earthen jars from
| the palm trees, and when fermt nted it
| is called palm wine. These jars can be
| seen at intervals through the push. and
| a traveller who is thirsty is at liberty to
| partake of the contents of any OF them.
| If he has any money he is expected to
| place few coins beside the jar as COM
| pensation, but money or no money, he
| is entitled to drink. If he is near
town he must first ask permission to
| drink of the owner of the jar. Their de-
| bates are carried on in very systematic
| manner. The men sit in circle and
| talk together until the meeting is called
| to order, when one of them steps into
| the center, and taking up a cane lying
on the ground, addresses the assembly.
| Others follow at their own pleasure, and
| as time is valueless in Africa, and the
| owner of the house in which the debate
| is beld provides for the comfort of all
| present, there is ne scrambling for first
| chance. If IA speaker wanders from the
| point he is called ON to sit down, and he
| has to obey. The question under consid-
Grafton isdecided by the old men present.
| The people are very blunt and outspok-
en- in expressing what is in their minds.
| One Sunday a missionary, who was
making lorg sermon, was called to or
| der by several of his congregation tell
| ing him that as he had had his break
fast, and they hadn't it would be well
for him to cut short his discourse.
Among the superstitions of the people
| is one to the effect that whoever nlants