Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-05

as Africa. The lazy natives standing anC
| sitting upon the ground in crowds, clad il
| their native costume and many almost un
clad, together with the beautiful palm anC
cocoanut trees, presented scene indeed
characteristic and made real the pictures
had seen in books descriptive of Africa
Before had gone many hundred feet 8
large black man approached me with IN
covered head and addressed these words t.
me: "Howd' you do, master" He spoke
fairly good English and inquired where
wished to go, expressing great willingness tc
take me anywhere. For his services in
showing me to the postofice and United
States Consuls Office gave him three pence
After being furnished with reliable
man by the Consul who is native of Sierra
Leone, 1 started with my anthropometric
instruments and detective camera for toul
among the natives. Campbell, my man, took
me to market where hundreds of natives
stay all day long with provisions for sale.
The place is a ravine with the ground de-
scending from the street to distance oil
1000 feet below and toward the river. This
ravine is not over 100 feet wide, and was
literally filled with natives of many tribes.
There was not bench or seat in the place,
SO the ground held the people and provi-
sions. Through this dense mass of African
humanity, led by my man, / made my
way looking as I went for victims for
physical measurements. I soon spied one
with very scant clothing, for clothing
is positive hindrance to accurate anthro-
pometric work. The native selected was, as
learned from my guide, one of the Mendi
tribe. He was persuaded to accompany us
to spot out of the sight of the crowd, as I
thought. Here in the burning sun began
my work, and before 20 measurements were
taken, men, women and children were
crowding about me, expressing the greatest
curiosity and amusement. I never heard
such '.jabber" of tongues. At least 20
tribes were represented in this crowd. which
had now swelled to a number of nearly 200.
as learned by the actual count OF my man.
Notwithstanding all this demonstration,
which greatly feared would cause my sub
ject to prohibit my work, completed the
same, paid him for the privilege given me,
and at once pushed out through the crowd. -
Free Town offers very unusual opportuni-
ties for anthropologieal work for the reason
that there are as many as 80 different tribes
found there. Each of these tribes speaks a
dialect which is not easily understood by
the others. All degrees of civilization are
readily d1scerned, from the natives who live
in rude huts and wear nothing but a loin
cloth to those fully civilized and educated.
On the same street one will meet the rude
savage with shaved head and tatooed face
and the well dressed and, polite black gentle
man who explains his unfortunate brothers
appearance and actions as due to ignorance.
AN EXPENSIVE PURSUIT.
spent the greater part Of the afternoon in
taking photographs, and it may be interest
ing to know something of my experience.
The natives have learned to consider it
quite favor to allow the white man to take
their photographs, and to such an extent
that they value the same at price varying
from sixpence to shilling, which makes
it expensive for one who wishes q large
number of photographs. When I had Sc
cured all the pictures 1 wished with the de-
tective camera, and experienced difficulty in
getting natives to stand before the large
camera. used the following method: In
most cases they ask you to take their picture
when they observe your camera and saw
shilling" l paid no attention to those
who were not desirable subjects, and to those
whose photographs 1 was anxious to obtain.
would reply with gestures and English
that would be understood, "No pay. II you
want, take picture" of course thev OBJ
jected when would repeat the above words
expressing no concern about the matter, In
every case they agreed to stand, and in fact
preferred to do so than not. Thus obtained
photographs of all whom 1 wished. It is
said that white persons who spend much
time among the natives acquire the habit of
using bad English. From simply the one
days experience of myself can understand
the reason for this. In order to be under
stood you must speak as they speak, and use
as few words as possible to express your
thoughts.
Free Town is likewise a good place to
study religion, for the Christian, Moham-
medan and Roman Catholic are represented
there. The majority of the Christian de-
nominations have churches, schools and
missions in good condition. The Mobam-
medans are very numerous and easily dis
tinguisned by their costume, which is the
regular one Of the believers in that re-
ligion. In the schools of Free Town there
are 1000 pupils. I visited one of the
Wesleyan High Schools, which has over
LOO pupils in attendance. This school is
taught by a head master and several
assistants, who are black men, The
pupils made very favorable i'm
preston by their actions and the
1esire for knowledge which they showed.
From my reception judge that white Wis
tors are very enthusiastically received by
teachers and pupils. 1t was very interest
ng to observe the effect of education upon
he natives as contrasted with those who do
lot vet share in the benefits. The powerful
Elects of education as a factor of civ1liza-
ion were very noticeable. The condition
VI the people of Sierra Leone can be truth
ully said to be due to the splendid coloniz.
ng policy of England. Their present con-
lition is such that with continuation of
he desire and efforts which they now show
t will be improved and raised to that of the
'etter civilized world.
All the members of the expedition have
,een engaged during the voyage in making |
for their work, This is es- |
,ecially true of the astronomers, who, with |
III the men they could draft from the ships |
rev. have been very busy constructing in |
for photographing the eclipse. |
7he fact that an entirely new set of apparatus
) to be used and that almost no time was
iVen for its construction before the date of |
eaving New York has rendered a great |
mount of labor necessary. All the pho
1graphing is to be done automatically bv |
leans of an application made by Prot.
odd of pneumatic organ valve, which is
ne invention of Mr.. M. Yale, of New York.
me hundred plates will be exposed, each /
ne at the proper time and with correct
zposure without Intervention on the part of
nyone after the apparatus is started. The
lccess of this apparatus will mark a great
pooh in the methods of eclipse photography.
CLAIRE A. ORR.