The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1889-05-25
IN THE NIGER DELTA.
Horrible Superstitions Prevailing
- In that Part OF Africa
Lizard and Snake worship-A Mother Re-
Joicing to See Her Child Dovourod by
Pyth0n-Go0d Work Done by
Christian Missionaries.

EybhOn-0OOO WOE D0u0 w
Christian Missionaries.
~NAM 49, 49,
In the last Issue Of the Proceedings Of
the Royal Geographical Society,"" London,
there is an unusually interesting article on
"the Niger Delta'' in Africa, of which the
following synopsis has been made for the
New York Ledger: ~~~-s -
The Iios represents to-day the ruling peo-
pie of the extreme lower Niger, of Brass,
Of New Calabar, Bonny aud Opobo. In
times past they were fanatic adherents of
savage type of animistic religion. Like
the ma jority Of the Africans, they did not
know or conceive of the existence of one
supreme God, but emt .died a number of
natural principles in the forms of certain
animss, or in concrete representation Of
'feti.hes'' or idols $40
Eacn little community had its "totem, or
sacred animal, in whose species the ances-
tral spirit-the soul of the tribe, so to
srcnk was supposed to dwell Thus in
Brass they worshped the python snake in
Bonny the monitor lizard. Only nine or
ten years ago this animal worship was SO
real that the British authorities In the Oil
Rivers were compelled to afford 1t cor
tain amount Of recognition. Europeans
were forbidden to kill the sacred lizard OF
Bonny, or the still more sacred serpent of
Brass, and were heavily fined by their Con-
sui If they infringed this prohibition.
On one occasion, in Brass, some ten or
twelve years ago, an agent of Messrs. Hat
ton 81 Cookson's firm found a large python
in his house and killed 1t When the mis-
deed became known the Brass people made
descent on the factory, dragged the agent
out Of the house on to the beach, tied him
up by his thumbs, spat in his mouth, and
inflicted other indgnities on him. Then
they broke open the store, and took out
E20 worth Of goods, which they confscated
The British consul, hearing Of the disturb
ance, arrived In Brass, considered the case,
and was unable to afford the agent any re-
dress, because he was supposed to have
brought the punishment upon himself
At Bonny the monitor lizards became q
sickening nuisance. They devoured the
Europeans fowls, turkeys, ducks and geese
with impunity; they might lie across the
road or doorways Of houses with their six
feet OF length, and savagely lash the shins
Of people who attempted to pass them with
their whip-hke serrated tails, and IL you
wounded or killed one OF them, there was
no end Of to-do. You were assaulted or
robbed BY tho natives, haransued BY the
Consul on board Of man of war, and pos
stbly fined into the bargain. -.4 :,
In other parts Of the delta It might be the
shark, or the crocodile, or some waterford
that was worshiped, but nowhere was this
zoolatry carried to greater lengths than at
Benny and Brass. For its etfectual abolish.
ment, which has been'ot the greatest benefit
To the well-being Of Europeans and natives
alike, we owe our thanks not to the inter-
'vention Of naval or consular officials, nor to
the blunremonstrances Of traders, butt the
quiet, unceasing labors Of the agents OF the
Church Missionary Society, VINO. BY win.
ming the natives from these absurd prac-
tices, have brought about such change of
a0airs that now the python ID promptly
killed at Brass whenever it makes its ap-
pearance, and the monit or lizard is rele-
gated to the woods and swamps. Indeed
as regards the latter animal, there was
rather curious revolution of feeling.
About four years ago. when Benny Town
was infested with numbers Of these great,
sluggish lizards, the missionaries screwed
the courage Of the Bonny converts twho
then meant almost the entire population of
the place. to the sticking point A grand
slaughter Of lizards was arranged to take
Piscc ou EaSCer SUNDAY. AS soon as the
morning bells Of the mission church rang
out large number Of Bonny men and
boys armed themselves with matchets and
sticks and commenced the slaughter of the
lizards. By the end Of the day there was
not one left alive in the town, and 80 great
were the numbers slaughtered that the
stencil almost brought about sickness, and
for four or five days the town was unap.
proachable 49, -. x.~.sS1A.ss.
But in slaughtering the lizards much else
OF the old superstition seemed to go, and
that event marked the real revolution, and
turning towards better things on the part
Of the Benny people. A change almost sim
ilarly abrupt put an end to the python wor-
ship at Brass. Before that time, II a,
python seized q child in the street in it's
coils and slavered 1t with its vicious saliva,
the mother-so far from interfering to save
Unjust stand by and call out her thanks,
aud summon her friends and relatives to
rejoice with her that the god-python had SO
houored her family as to devour her child.
Retreat Of Niagara Falls.