The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-16
THE CONGO COUNTRY.
Leasing Lands from the Natives-Other Bust
ness Customs of the Region.

ness Customs of the Region.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 15.-Just at this time,
when Congress has before it a proposition to
take steps to bring this country into closer rea-
tions with the Congo regions of Africa, the State
Department has issued report upon the con-
duet of affairs on that river by United States
Consul Du Verge, which will be read with in
terest by all those who have any curiosity in re-
gard to this important new field. Consul Du
Verge writes.
"To settle at Congo after having chosen
convenient location for ones affairs, the chiefs
who are entitled to receive the duties or taxes
are called. These taxes are in reality rents as
the negroes do not sell their lands and do not
give them up except for an annual or monthly
payment. The tenant has, therefore, right
TO his land just so long as he pays his
tax or rent, which consists, beside
the payment of installation, of rations to the
King amounting to gallon of rum and eight
yards of cotton cloth at the end of every month:
and the persons whom the King is obliged to
supply and for whom he is responsible are:
Lingster translator; com prador, purchaser;
mafuca body servant, and four servants, mocas.
The duty of a lingster in factory is to attend
to the payment for produce serve as interpreter
in communicating with the natives, and keep
his employer well informed with regard to the
business done by his neighbors. The compra-
dor serves to measure the produce settle all diff
culties arising from such measure
ments and withdraw from each meas
ure the countage tax going to
the King This countage consists of a plate of
grain for every measure of the same, and about
one or two gallons of oil to every measure of the
same, which are set apart until there is sufficient
to be measured, when the King goes to receive
it. The mafuca oversees the work of the ser
wants, and takes the place of the interpreter
during the latters absence. If one of these
seven personages should for any reason what
ever, away, the King is obliged to return
him or replace him, or lose all rights to his
taxes, rations, etc, until he has replaced the
runaway, and paid the robbery, if the runaway
be in consequence of robbery.
The manners and customs which have been
introduced among the negroes by certain Euro
peans have rendered it impossible to trade with
the natives without corredores. These act as
cOuriers, who, for a certain payment and sup
ply of gin and spirits, lay in wait for the natives
along the routes they take when bringing in
produce for trade and conduct them to their en-
ployers factory 1t often occurs that the ne
groes follow these corredores of their own free
will; but it happens also. that the negroes, when
they will not follow them, are forced to go to
the house of the employers; or, when the CORE
dore knows there is not a certain kind of goods at
his factory and conducts or trades to another
merchants factory, he is in like manner
bound by the slaves of his employer; for,
although slavery is abolished there are any
number of slaves to be found. some in chains and
as in some foreign houses, so that the corredore
becomes the slave of the white man unless his
family is willing to pay eXorbitant price for
his liberty. These abuses and violences are
very often the reason why the trade route is
often closed the natives, alarmed at the con
slant violence of the kroboys struggling along
the routes who hinder their free movements,
have almost abandoned the Congo, and go to sell
their produce where they can move about freely,
or they remain i'll their villages, where they cul-
tivate only what is requisite and sufficient for
their families This Is the reason why the Con.
60 on account of violence and injustice from
being one of the most productive rivers ten years
ago, has become comparatively speaking, com
pletely abandoned by the natives.
1.-THE purchase of slaves continues at the
values of Is or E6 each. When they cannot be
bought they are obtained in the following man
ner: An article or object of some kind is laid
aside out of the way, but within reach of the
negro who at once steals it, and being taken in
flagrante delctu, becomes at once a slave. If he
is person Of Importance and is claimed by his
relatives or by the chiefs of the village to
which he belongs, he is sometimes given up in
exchange for two or three slaves, who take his
place and lose thereby the liberty they enjoyed,
to become slaves in their village; these are put
in chains and made to work under the lash and
the rod. Should any government, there
fore, seriously wish to correct avoid any
further slavery in chains bondage, and un-
Just punishmenJs, and secure free trade and
make the Congo as productive it was about
ten or fifteen years ago, the following must be
attended to- The corredorcs are the principal
causes of the lack of trade for besides the
wages which they receive and which can be
given to the native trader, they embezzle the
funds intrusted to their care. Some houses
have more than two hundred eorrctlores; they
receive certain number of counters with nam
bers corresponding to numbers with the name Of
the corredore, entered in y book expressly