The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-09-26
AN AFRICAN BANQUET.
The Eating and Drinking Vessels
Were OF SOiid Goid.


The following letter dated at Cape
Coast Castle has been forwarded to
us by gentleman who has CONNER
cial relations with the Gold Coast;
81 have just got down to the coast
after an unusually long trip inland.
The region / have travelled over |
will call Bafbary, for short, because
it is due south-though long way
south--of the strip of coast that
used to frighten our forefathers. All
this is now French polished, and
there is nothing to be seen there ex-
cept the reflection of ourselves. In
land there Is still some interest. The
tribes are independent and keep their
own customs. They are prosperous,
too, many Of them, and have acquir-
ed ideas of luxurious living that one
would not expect to find in the heart
of Africa. Just before making my
way down to the Gold Coast | was
present at a most interesting function
that would have given your pressmen
copy for week 1t was a gigantic
banquet, given by the ancient chief
of the tribe among whom | was stay,
ing to young warrior, the ruler Of
neighboring tribe. All the swels
of the tribe were there, of course,
the chiefs sons and daughters and
other kiusmen, and the principal
counselors and fighting men. Some
of them had their wives, too, and
they were all very much got up.
''Not being a professional reporter
| cannot describe the costumes, ex-
cept to say that there was barbaric
profusion Of gold. But the gold
worn by the guests was mere speck
of dus5 compared to the gold dis
played by the old chief There must
have been enough gold In that Afrl-
can hall to buy up the Bank of Eng
land. Where it all came from have
no notion, but our pioneers in South
Africa, now that they have been
ousted from the Transvaal, had bet
ter make trek to my Barbary.
''To begin with, all the vessels out
of which the guests ate and drank
were or solid gold. The table, too,
was thickly covered With tie quaint
ornaments that savages delight in.
Some of them were cleverly wrought,
so far as the art of the people goes,
but for most part their only merit, if
it be one, was their solidity. II was
the style of thing that would have
delighted a flash pawnbroker from
Whitechapel.
"Tbe most gorgeous object of all
was golden bird. The body of the
bird was solid gold, and its feathers
were built up with precious stones.
am not good at guessing values,
and will not try, but | could guess
nearly enough to know that if /
could have carried off that bird, or
even bit of one OF its wings, my
fortune would have been made for
life. Apparently the old chief had
notion that such calculations might
pass through the minds of his guests,
for he took care that the bird was
not brought out till he was there to
watch it, and had it shut up again in
strong chest directly his back was
turned. The golden bird | was told,
had been originally taken in war
from distant tribe, and another
trophy, taken from tribe in the
same region, was produced to show
the guests what mighty sovereign
they were dining with. This was
lions head, also of solid gold, with
diamonds for the teeth and eyes.
But it is no good continuing this list.
| think you would have felt as did,
more disgust than pleasure. And as
| came away after a really good din
ner, but with my pockets empty on
my word of honor | hadn't lifted
even salt spoon my principal feel
ing was one of qualification that in
Europe we had got beyond this savage
ostentation. > Pail Mall Gazette