Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-04-12
QUEER LANGUAGES.
savagcs That Talk by whistling, Drum
ming or Flneer-P.nchIne,

At the last meeting Of the Berlin An
chronological Society. Lieutenant
Quedenfeldt. a German officer who has
lived on Gomero Island. one Of the
Canary group. described whistling
language which is used by the inhabit-
ants The language does not consist
Of any arbitrary series of signals or
rounds; it is described as ordinary
speech translated into articulate whist
ling, each syllable having its own
fingers and lips when whistling. and
Lieutenant @ Icden fcldt asserts that he
can carry on a conversation with
neighbor mile of, who perfectly I'M
dorstands all he is saying. The prac-
tlce is confined to Gomcro Island. and
is quite unknown in The other islands
of the Archipelago. The adoption of
the whistling language is said to be
the peculiar geological construction
of Gomero Island. 1t is traversed by
numerous gullies and deep ravines
running out in all directions from the
central plateau. As they are not
bridged. they can only be crossed with
great difficulty; hence man living
within stones throw OF another In a
straight line has often to go round
many miles when no wishes to see and
speak to his neighbor. This. it is
conjeotured. led to the adoption of
whisling as useful means of COM
municaIion. which has gradually as
sumed the proportions of true sub
stitute for speech. 1t is described as
being any thing but unpleasing to the
ear.
This reminds one Of the drum Ian
guage of the natives of the Came
Rooms. mentioned in Buchholz's book
on West Africa, by means of which the
most complicated message can be con-
veyed TO villagers at a distance when
occasions nccessitaio it. For this pur-
pose peculiarly-shapcd drum is en-
ployed. BY dividing the surface into
uneven halves tho instrument on be-
ing struck may be made to yield two
distinct notes. BY these and shorten
ing or lengthening the intervals be-
tween each note. a code is established,
with a regular sequence Of taps,
strokes, and intervals capable Of ex-
pressing every syllable in the Ian
guage. All the natives undorst aud
this code; and so highly elaborated is
it, that chief can by Its means sum-
mon to his presence any vllager whom
he desires 10 sec, inlimating to The
latter at The same time the purpose for
which he is required. In this way, too
messages can be sent from village to
village over wide stretches of country
the drummer In one hamlet trans
hitting to the next the signals
he hears-and with extraord-
nary rapidity. Buchholz had proof
on one occasion of the utility of this
drum language and its capabilities rs
q medium of communication. The
negro who had charge of his canoe
obtained leave one morning to attend
10 some private business of his own.
which took him 10 the other side of the
river The man remained away an
unreasonable time. and Buchholz got
very angry, as he was waiting to leave
the place. Another negro suggested
that they should drum for him. The
drummer was sent for and instructed
to inform the missing servant that his
master was very angry with him, and
that he was to return at once. In a
few minutes the man returned with
the inevitable apologies for the length
of time he had been away. He had
perfectly understood the message
drummed out to him. as Buchholz as
certained by inquiring of him.
Equally curious is the so-called sign
Language, or finger speech of Orient al
traders largely employed on the east
coast Of Africa in the direction Of Fan
zibar Walking through a market
place In this region of the world. the
traveller will often witness a strange
sight. A couple of grave, long-bearded
Arabs will step aside. each will put his
hand up the others apparently to
pinch each others fingers for a few
minutes. Often the performance will
be varied. Ono will unrole his long
turban cloth, or perhaps lift up
his mantle and { then cover
his hand, and concealed beneath
this the pinching OF the fingers will
proceed as before. The initiated
know that this is method of bargain
ing by means of code of finger
speech understood by Eastern traders
from Southern Arabia and Northern
Africa to the borders Of Persia 1t has
been adopted in the first instance for a
simple reason. In the East, especially
along the coast Of the Red Sea. Zanzi
bar and Southern Arabia. all busines:
is transacted in the open air. And in
all such transactions the bystanders,
oilers riff-raff aud meddlesome busy.
bodies generally contrive to have a
good deal to say, rendering their ad.
vice to both buyer and seller. The
unwritten etiquette of the East re-
quires that such friendly counsel
should not be resented. BIT as tn,
merchants and dealers find it an un.
mitigated nuisance and great him
deran &c TO business. they have adopted
certain code Of ii ger signs which
they exchange when bargaining, with
their hands concealed under iheil
sleeves or turban cloth. Each finger
and each joint Of finger represents 4
certain figure. So the pair can bar
gain by the hour-as they often dot
heir hearts content, and none Of tn
noisy and gaping busy bodies around
them be any the wiser for it.-St
James Gazette.