The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-06-11
AFRICAN CURlCSiTiEs.
Re1,.arlzs3ic Collection brought by Her-
hrr. ward c.c.A the Dark Continent.

ge,uaris.3ic Collection Brought by Her
brrs ward cco.n the Dark Continent.
Probably, INC finest collection Of Al
,.ican c,rioSitics IN the world is owned
by I:cri,cYt Ward. who was associated
for i've years with Henry NJ. Stanley
IN Africa. \ very hasty examination
Of the articles will ut once change
white mans contempt for the ignorant
savarc ;nto admiration for his manual
skill. II seems at first sight that the
collection must contain a specimen OF
everything made, used or worn by the
central African. especially in view OF
the sc:,nty costume in vogue III that |
country. but although the equatorial
gentleman may be considered over
dressed in 4 string with u tuft OF grass
behind it, yet he has as many kinds OF
wcaDons as we have crayats and ul-
sters says the \. I. Sun.
The largest but not the most inter-
estinc feature of the collection is seen
in the sheaf of spears. He has col
lcctcd 4 startling number Of them.
Each tribe has a distinctive kind Of
spear, and the spears resemble or dlf-
fer from each other according to the
distance which separates the tribes.
They bear q pretty close general re-
semb!ance, however, since all are made
with wooden handles and leaf-shaped
iron blades. Many of the tribes have
small spear for active business and
large one for dress parade.
Next in prominence and high inter
est come the idols, and here it must be
remarked that the central African does
not usually worship his idol or con-
slider it almighty. Mr.. Ward describes
the idol as kind of middle man. Un-
less it can show that il is Il good, prac-
tical, working idol it is liable to va
rious indignities and is even often
burnt.
The most fascinating and blood
curdling objects are the knives. Mr..
| Ward has a number of the Snives most
used for executions. which functions,
| by the way, are usually performed TO
! celebrate the departure OF chief Tor
another world. They belonged to tie
Baugala and Babangi tribes. and Mr..
Ward has seen them actually Used III
cutting of heads. The executoucrs
| never bungle.
| The most strangely shaped knife OF
any is one used in rough and tumble
fighting, and for throwing, by the n:s-
tiYcs in the upper reaches Of the Ouel!a
river. There are knives OF every I'M
aginable shape in the collection. The
idea of the pattern in most cases IS
taken from the palm leaf, and when
! the knife is made long and curved it is
very handsome and suggestive. The
handles are usually made of brass and
wood and the workmanship IS very
fine. They are always made by the
| natives.
Endless curiosities with a particular
| history attaching to them were scatter
ed about the collection. There was a
!! pair OF wooden clogs, with Arabic In
scriptions on them, which were sent to
Mr.. Ward By 'F:rpo lib as q kind Of
Christmas car. they only way to
keep them on your feet is to crap a
peg, which sticks up in the forward
! part, with two of your toes. Ihe tor
! tunate central African has toes as dett
| as our fingers.
Living around were instruments that
! produce unearttlv sounds, bracelets
! made of elephants skin, human teeth.
| buffalo's teeth lcopard's claws and
| iron bells, necklets made from the
| teeth of victims Of cannibalism chunks
of ivory worn by members OF some
! tribes in their upper lips, brass collars
| of the order of Makoko for chiefs only
and plenty of litcle poisoned arrows.
! These arrows are SHOT with great pre-
] cision to distance Of 100 yards, and
! the wound will prove fatal within 1lt-
[ teen minutes if it is not thoroughly
: cautcriZed.
! Few persons would guess the use OF
: five or six strands of fiber tied together
! and sometimes covered with metal.
| They constitute the court costume OF a
! lady, and are worn around the waist.
! Whenever there is a 'u!t or other ap'
| pendage to the string it goes behind,
thus showing The primitive and wide
| spread use OF the hustle.
Excellent taste and splendid work.
J HlanSnlD were iSlDlC III tiI t'| 1th c.S-
+! ments. They came from the interior,
for the natives lose all this skill after
! contact with the rum of civilization for
! short time. The mc>t artistic OBJ
| jects were probably the immense war
i horns made of elephants tusks hollow
ed out and most elaborately carved,
and the shields of dyed and woven
palm fiber. There were also some
| brooms, very light and long, which
| should form elegant and valuable ad-
+. ditions to the household furniture OF a
theosophist. They are intended to
drive away spirits when their pres
ence is not desired.
Altogether the collection will soon
; convince man that the central Afrl-
cans are far ahead of most savages in
manual skill-in fact, much of their
work is quite equal to that OF the Ja'
| panese.
| Beauty Only Skin Deep.
A few days ago q young girl, beautl-
! full in form, feature and dress sat in 3
/ NJ.J;co,, ,,rapua oor Sovc tho