Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-02-27
CLUB LIST.
We will furnish the following papers and Pc
Irdicals with the SEMI WEEKLY SOUTH KEN
TItnRI A Mt tho snhnnnl nhnan raIna.
Earth-Men From Africa.
New York World


Sitting in a waiting-room of the
Central Railroad terry-house Il few
days ago, was as uncouth collection
of human beings as falls to the lot of
New Workers to witness. Wrapped
in coarse, striped blankets, their
heads covered with cloth caps six
sizes too large for them, the small
peaked faces peered out of their COW
erings with monkey-likc gaze al
the crowd Of inquisitive Americans
who gathered around. They were
African earth-men or pygmies, re-
Gently brought here from the region
of the Congo. Until lately the exis-
tence of these people has been
questioned by scientific writers, but
recent discoveries have proved the
truth Of the well-known assertion of
Herodotus regarding the mysterious
tribe of dwarfs who burrowed in the
earth far bach toward the center Of
the Dark Continent. Du Chaillu
was the first modern traveller who in
veStigated the matter and saw them
in their own land, and described them
as being small in statue, but larger
than one Is led to expect from the
description of Ilerodotus, being
something over three feet and half
tall, but still they are diminutive
specimens of humanity. Their
figures are slim and delicate, but very
well formed.
- The woman especially is capable of
posing for an artist as bronze
Venus. They were all well clad, the
women wearing coats and pants OF
coarse but warm material, and they
frequently emitted dry, hacking
cough, that showed the effect which
mr. climate and that of England.
whence they came last, is having
upon them. Their faces denote but
litlle Intellect, yet they are possessed
OF much Intelligence, and the child
rem are surprisingly bright. The
baby, sitting under canopy Of cap.
was IL study in himself.
His big, black eyes twinkled an.
snapped as he peered this way and
that at the crowd, and he LOOKED the
brightest and best of the lot. Ili>
father, the king-they are all king
who come here-sat enwrapped IN
his royal blanket. with long bow il,
his hand, and he appeared to notice
nothing that went on around him.
lie wore, attached to his hairin front.
three small shells filled with somt
kind of cement or dirt to hold then,
on. These are royal trademarks.
none but he being allowed to decorate
bangs i'll that manner, and he looked
every incl a king of that sort. On
their cheeks they all had ragged
scar-this is also a royal mark and l.
made by scratching with an arrow
and rubbing in colOring matter-a
rude sort OF tattoOing. In addition
to these marks each one had the first
joint Of his right hand little finger
taken off. This is a general tribal
mark. They all showed their fingers
and all were alike in this disfgu-
ment Their skin is not black, but Il
sort of coppery brown, somewhat
like our Indians, but shade or TIVE
darker and richer in tone. They
have but little hair and that is curled
like pigtails.
The most curious thing about them
is their language. 1t is series of
indescribable clucks. made by turning
the tongue backward against the
roof of the mouth and swapping il
forward, not the sound one makes
when starting horse, but just as
inarticulate and seemingly as unin-
telligible to human being. The,
clicked and clucked among them.
selves and the gentleman in charge
clipped in and fired his tongue al
them:
"lIerc's my regards"
1t seemed incredible that men could
converse among themselves with such
an elementary form ofspeech, in not
being elevated above the twittering
of a sparrow. One certainly could
easier translate the barks and whines
of his dog into English. They seem
to be satisfied with it and that is
certainly enough.
They have quite a collection of
African arms and curiosities in their
possession-short and long bows,
with sinew or hide strings; spears
and arrows of reed, poisoned with
the juices of plants and capable of
making havoc in the ranks of an
enemy. 1t is, in fact, in this manner
only that they can be formidable, as
an ordinary white man could easily
manage three of them. They deco
rate themselves in the manner usual
among savages, with shells, beads
and feathers, the latter begin quite
ornamental and artistic. They
have collection of ostrich feathers,
heads ane bones ofgazelles, gemsboks
and Glands, tiger and leopard skins
and lions claws-all trophies of their
skill in the chasd an showing what a
superiority even pygmies have over
the brute creation.