The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-04-11
LAKE JEWELLERS IN AFRICA.

Thousands of Blacks Who Rear Their
Huts on PiIes In the Denham Waters.
Much attention was recently called
10 the region around Kotonou, on the
Gulf Of Guinea, near which place sew
eral hundred of the women warriors Of
the King of Dahomey were killed in
battle by the French troops. One Of
The most interesting features of this re-
gion is the large native villages and
towns that have been built in the water.
The inhabitants many years ago took
tins means of trying to escape from the
terrible raids of the King of Dahomey.
Many hundreds of people were actually
driven by the powerful King into the
water. 1t happens that the Dahomians
are very superstitious about travelling
IN canoes or crossing streams, and the
fugitlve5 took advantage of this fact to
secure protection for themselves.
On any good map one may see the
"Denham waters" near Kotonou. This
ls the home of these lake dwellers. The
towns nave each population of from
zoe or 300 souls to as many thousands.
-ys.ca..y ;Ac people are fine and
healthy specimens Of Africans, and as a
rnle they are free from disease. Gov.
Moloney OF Lagos saws the houses are
bGilt upon piles or straight branches of
hard wood t.ree to six inches in
diameter. They are driven into the
bottom OF the lake. The upper ends
are secured by cross pieces, on which
are laid bamboo flooring, two-thirds
or one-half of which is covered in by a
h0nSa "a 70 ,,f
fixed first and secured below the plat
form to the supporting piles. The roof
frame Is next made on the platform, and
rs covered with grass or bamboo leaves,
and raised to its position. The remain.
ING portion Of flooring is used as q yer.
snda. In the construction no nails are
ased.
These natives arc fishermen and also
pastoral people. 1t is curious fact
that they keep cattle in pens adjoining
tner houses built on piles over the
water like their dwellings. Sometimes
during the dry season the shaIlowness
OF the water admits of the cattle being
allowed to wander on terra firma; but
fodder is brought in canoes to many
less fortunate animals which are COM
PEELED to exc out their existence in
these pens surrounded by water until
such time as they are tethered and
transported by canoe to the butcher.
The present natives are still in dread |
Of the Dahomians, ibut even if this fear
no longer existed it is probable that the
habit which they and their fathers be-
fore them have long followed would
lead them to prefer these aquatic resi-.
dences. 1t is not known how many lake
dweilers there are, but it is supposed
there are at least 1000 Of them among
the various tribes whose huts cover the
Denham waters. Once in q while these
tribes make war on one another, and
they coLduct their fighting in canoes,
capable of holding two or three persons,
AID their weapons are guns, harpoons,
spears, and clubs.
In some other parts Of Africa, par.
in the Congo basin, the habit
Of dwelling in huts sustained on piles
IN lakes or rivers il very largely fol.
lowed, and perhaps million or two Of
The people of Africa are still perpetual.
ng the phrase OF life of which we have
relics in the remains of the lake dwell.
eIs OF the prehistoric era