The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-01-01
INTERESTING AsaIoAN cuaIos.


~ -
Broitht from Afriea.
A few privileged friends were asked
recently to meet Mr.. f. }. Glave, Of Lon
don, at the fremont house. and at the
same tisuc 10 see the many curiosities
which Mr. Herbert Ward brought from
Africa with him. These articles are not
exhibited at the lecture. but are shown
privately TO friends Mr.. Glave. who has
/ charge OF them. is young EngIishnsan
/ with a taste FOR adventure. who has been
into the interior Of Africa with both Ar.
Stanley and Dir. Ward. aud has achieved
a decided reputation as successful
hunter. II is most interesting 10 hear
his descriptions Of the life among the
savages. and he speaks modestiy OF his
own prowess. referring only to the deeds
Of other men. until some straightforward
question brings an answer that he can
not help giving.
The world has grown accustomed to
eastern curios China. India and Japan
are no longer unknown lands. and the
arts and Industries from those countries
are almost as well known IS those Of
Europe ana America: but in the curiosi-
ties shown by Mr.. Glave one is brought
face TO face with new people and
hitherto unknown land The first sensa-
ton which one has is n wonder how these
people learned 10 do so many things.
they work in iron and other metal. they
weave a cloth from fiber. they carve in
wood and ivory. and their straw or cane
weavirt- is wonderful from its fine work
raanship. its beauty of design and per
feet finish. This was best shown in the
shields. which are long and narrow, Gov
ering the whole body when held in front
Of it, Il resembles more than anything
4 the inc cane work of the East Indies Ii
4 is smooth and glossy, and some OF the
I fibers are as fine rs thread. Black and
white fibers are used. the design being
wrought in black on the white ground
/ and is even more beautiful on the back
side than on the front OF course. all
this work is done by hand. and it is as
/ even and regular as If made by machine.
| The ornaments worn By the women
are barbaric in design: still they have
beauty Of shape that is unsurpassed by
ANYTHING modern. Copper is a great
deal used by them. and also iron: the
| first is to ornament almost entirely. and
the latter is used for money. rs well as
for the crael iinp,rmentsof waT. Among
/ the most Interesting trophies are the
/ axes and iows and arrows used by the
nation Of dwarfs. a newly discovered
people. who have given Stanley great
! deal Of troa5le during his last trip.
They are a small people, only about
! four feet in height. with small frames
and short neclss. a most repulsive look
ing people. and very savage and fierce:
they are not physically strong. but are
very quick in their movements. and
] have a less degree Of intelligence than
most Of the other tribes The axes are
short handled. broad biaded. ugly look
ing affairs: the bows are very small. al
most like toy bows. with correspondingly
small arrows, which are poisoned at the
sharp iron tips. Small as these are. they
are deadly. If they strike. as the poison
is very powerful and quick in its action.
The savage idea of ornament is shown
! in the waist belts. bracelets. earrings and
/ anklets worn by the women; these con-
( stitute the entire costume. but the richer
and more powerful man is. the more
/ heavily he loads his wives with these
tokens OF his esteem aad their worth.
The more Of this kind Of ornament a
woman has. the higher is her financial
value After all. civilization and bar
barism are not 50 far apart as it would
seem At the first glance
A spoon carved of wood is in a grace
ful and unique pattern. that might be
copied with advantage by silversmiths
who are in search OF something new and
artistic This is simply wood carving.
but the shape is very graceful and
beautiful Some Of the spoons carved
in ivory were not unlike those Of me-
! dieval Europe. and ii makes one wonder
| anew how IDEAS could have grown
among people who know literally moth
ing Of life beyond that one in this
savage land II certainly proves that
those ideas must be common TO the
whole human race, and that some of the
very best of our civilization came with
us from barbarity.
a beautifully wrought copper collar
worn by an African chief was rs finely
engraved rs some Of the specimens Of
Benares brass work. There are also some
fine specimens Of etching on some of the
knives. 1t is perfectly impossible togive
anything like an adequate idea Of the
novelty of this exhibition or of its com
pleteness. but it is certainly one of the
most interesting that has ever been given
in the city. II gives one an idea moth
/ ing else can OF the condition OF the peo-
pie in the dark country. OF which so
little has been known.-Isoston Herald