Barbour County index., 1886-06-11
LIFE IN LIBERIA.
Reports of Progress Received
From Returned Missionary.
Politics of the Free Negro Republic-The
Wild Native Tribes-Climate and Dress
OF the Countrywide Successful
Work of Missionaries.
N. Y. Herald

IN. Y. Herald
Mr.. J. j. Coles, a Baptist missionary VINO
has just returned here after an absence of
two years in Liberia, has much informa-
uon on that country, upon which he con-
versed with reporter from the Herald.
The form of government in Liberia is
that of a republic, the head of which is a
President with power similar to that WELD
ed by the President of the United States,
but his term of Office is only two years.
The position is held at present by H. r. w.
johnson, who was elected to second term
last May. The President is elected by
popular suffrage, and the candidates fire.
quently go from settlement to settlement
"stumping" the country in their own in
terest. There are two regular parties
the Republicans and the Whigs-but the
distinction between them in the matter of
principles is hazy. The President now is
Wing, and the party has been in pow er
for some years.
The Legislature meets in Monrovia, the
capital, every December, but it appayent-
ly finds little to do, as it never sits beyond
the middle of January. The people do not
regard its proceedings with a very keen
interest.
Most of the exciting work for the Gov
ernment is furnished by the wild tribes
which inhabit Liberia and the surround
ing country. Three-quarters of Liberia
is occupied exclusively by these tribes,
and the other quarter, consisting mostly
CT the country on the sea coast, is occu-
pied by population in which the civ
llized Liberians and these untamed
heather are intermingled. A short dis
tance back from the coast is a range of
mountains, across which the traders bring
their wares--principally palm oil and palma
nuts 60 market. When they wish to
annoy theGovernment or When bent upon
private plunder, the uncivilized tribes
blockade the roads through these noun
tains, and often hold them until dislodged
by the Government forces. Often they are
obstinate in maintaining their position,
and it requires a strong effort to dis
lodge them. Beyond these almost peri
odical attempts ut plumber the msn OF
these wild tribes are harmless, and not
infreauently become peaceable citizens.
No cannibalism exists among the tribes
in Liberia proper, although there are tribes
not far back in the interior which prac-
tice il.
The most intelligent OF the tribes in
Liberia is the Vey. This tribe has an
alphabet of two hundred characters. ANY
word required is expressed by a combina-
tion of no. IN ore than threo OF these char.
acters. The use of these letters is general
among the Yey, and the missionaries find
it worth their while to learn them. The
Mandingoes are another intelligent tribe,
many of them being able to write and
read, not in tongue of their own, but in
Arabic.
Lilo in Liberia is divided into the same
occupations as in other countries. There
are farmers who raise coffee and palm oil
on their farms, and send it to the towns
for market; then there are traders and
merchants who receive it and take it to
other towns about the coast. Lawyers are
plenty, and find plenty to do to keep tn em
busy. The country is not too new for
crime, and the death penalty is sometimes
exacted. The common mode of travel on
land is to be swung in hammock and car
ried hy two natives, and when it comes to
fOrding a river the back and head OF a
single native are considered frst-class
accommodation. There arc no horses
or mules in the country, and accord
ingly no transportation by means of
these animals. OF the other domestic ami.
mails there are sheep and goats upon the
farms and chickens everywhere But most
Of the country's provisions-hour, grain
and meats imported from the United
States.
Liberia has its wild animals, the chief of
them being the leopards and elephants.
These are very plentiful, but they don't
seem to do very much harm. They come in
at nights from the wild parts of the coun-
try and carry off sheep and goats, and, al
though unwelcone visitors, their presen ce
is too familiar to excite much alarm.
The free negro republic enjoys an
equable climate, though a warm one. The
thermometer never rises above ninety de-
grees and never falls below seventy de-
grces. From the 1st of May to tho 1st of
October is the rainy season, and durin z
the rest of the year the weather is dry and
pleasant. The costume OF the ordinary
African consists OF a very small garment
about the middle portion of his body.
Among the civilized Liberians, however,
the usual European and American
dress is observed. 1t is al
ways difficult to induce the
converted members of the wild tribes to
conform to civilized notions of dress, and
the nearest approach to II often obtained is
a costume consisting of a capacious shirt
and high hat. The latter is so popular
an article of dress to the average African
that it is difficult to make him believe
that tits not Insufficient in itself
The progress of the missionaries in their
work Of conversion has been marked by
success. There is an Episcopal mission at
Cape Mount which has at present one
hundred and fifty scholars. The Baptist
Foreign Mission has three main stations in
liberia, with force of FIVE missionaries
At the Jundoo station, in the northwestern
part of Liberia, near the Sierra Leone
boundary, where Mr.. Coles has been sta
toned for the past two years, seventy
five or eighty persons out of the wild
tribes were converted and baptized. Al
all the stations there are prosperous
schools which the natives are usually
willing to allow their children to attend
These young girls and boys are thus
brought from youth into Christianity and
accept it when they grow older.