The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-20

Pretty nearly all of the Kongo basin
may falrIy be described as desert. The
country produces no vegetation that will
support beast of burden. At last ac-
counts there were just three mules in the
valley, and their food had TO be brought
from Europe. The traveller must cross
vast expanses of treeless and arid plain,
swim great rivers and wade through
marshes up to his waist. The lowlands
are covered with grass resembling bamboo,
twenty feet in height, and OF so dense
growth that one may go through It Tor
days without ever seeing the sun, wear
ing mask woven out OF palm leaves,
somewhat like q baseball catcher's mask,
to keep the knife-hke edges of the grass
from cutting the face 70 pieces. The only
roads are narrow paths, just wide enough
to permit passage in single tile. and the
amlaole natives take great interest IN tie
ing the grass over these paths where two
lntersect, so as to lead people astray.
From Stanley pool to the sea the mighty
kongo falls 1900 feet in 260 miles. The
entire distance is a series of cataracts.
Put hundred Niagaras in that space,
with rapids aud whirlpools between, and
you will have some notion of what it is
like. Man-eating crocodiles, sixteen feet in
length, lift their monstrous heads IN every
eddy, or lie asleep on the banks, while
dangerous hippopotami as big as ever
yawned upon circus poster dlsport them
selves in herds of scores and even hum
dreds. The agent of the department of
state, Mr.. Tisdel, having travelled to the
interior by land from Viyi preferred to re-
turn to the sea by the river, having made
up his mind that he had as l1ef be eaten by
the crocodiles as by the cannibals who
swarm in the up-country. With the pi-
rates who beset the upper river, attacking
every one who passes, he had to fight, as
does every Kongo traveller, and although
he escaped by narrow squeaks both croco-
diles and cataracts, he wonders that his
hair did not turn white, as did Staniey's,
by the time he reached the ocean.
If it were not for the women of the
Kongo little or nothing of the wild
products of the country would be gathered
for foreign markets-such as rubber. wild
bee wax and gums. They do all the work
-ga-den-making and some trading. Each
village has its garden and palm grove In
the garden nothing is grown but peanuts
and mandioca. OF the roots Of the latter
the native bread is made. The plants
grow only in the lowlands or valley lands.
Its roots are beaten to powder and mixed
in q Hat cake with fermented palm
sap, which serves the purpose of yeast
and raises the bread. Villages are
usually surrounded by high stockade,
with but one narrow entrance. The houses
are built of grass, with supports and ridge
poles of strong bamboo. In the center
of each hut a fire is kept burning, and the
smoke, there being no chimney or vent
hole, blackens the roof. Ordinary people
sleep on the bare ground, but king or
queen as a rule reposes on bamboo frame
with skins stretched across it. Mr.. Tisdel
saws that he has slept in many q royal
palace in Africa, but was apt to be driven
out by vermin. Some of the tribes num-
Der from 20, 600 to 100,0O souls; each such
nation keeps to itself and aloof
from its neighbors, being gov
erned by its own despotic chief.
who holds the lives of all his subjects in
his grasp. From their universal naked
ness he is ordinarily distinguished by wear
ing large piece of cloth or garment of
skins. He has many wives, if such they
can be called, who have their standing as
No. l, No. 2. and so on, according to his
capricious favor. Polygamy is general
with individuals who can afford the lux
ury. Diseases of the most loathsome
character are rife everywhere. Civilization
has nothing bad that it can teach these
blacks.
The coast women are fond of gaudy
cloth. but throughout the interior naked
ness is the invariable rule. Strings of
blue and white beads are much worn about
the neck, waist and ankles; and bands of
iron or brass are used to adorn the wrist,
ankles and throat. Sometimes the latter
are so weighty as to weigh down the wear
er, who supports the burden with cheer
fulness Notwithstanding, because il repre-
sents a big sum in negotiable currency.
The women particularly affect profusion
of ornaments, such as polished charms
carved from hippopotamus ivory. Many
tribes pierce the lObes of the ears
and the middle cartilage Of the nose,
thrusting into the holes pieces of wood,
H. At~1s
horrible indeed. Metal cartridges are
much priced for like purposes, and all
through the valley of the Kongo one finds
them in use as nose and ear ornaments.
The most admired adornment, however,
is necklace, made with three or four
hairs of an elephants tail, which is be-
Heved to possess virtue as fetch. Each
tribe has its own tribal mark, usually
tattooed on the face, though often on the
breast or back, whether of men or
women. Some tribes paint their per-
sons profusely, especially the women,
who smear their heads with mixture of
palm-oil and red clay, do their bodies in
white, or paint their faces black as sign
of mourning. Some clip their hair or
shave their heads in all sorts of styles,
while others plaster their hair with oil
and twist it into spirals, interviewer with
fine wire. so as to make it stick out in
every direction most surprisingly. Some
of the women make their hair up into
enormous cushions, while others compose
their luxuriant tresses in the shape of
poke-bonnets. In fact, il may fairly be
said that these people ofthe Kongo are the
most artistic hairdressers in the world.
Red cotton handkerchiefs are currency
everywhere in the Kongo basin. Any in
dustrious colored person who chooses to
emlgrate from this country to the Free
State can be sure of employment by the
international association, or other traders,
at the rate of one handkerchief for two
days labor. or bottle of gin if preferred;
but the workman is expected to procure
his own food, lodging and clothes. The
Portuguese of Angola get their labor done
by what they call the contract system"
They make contracts with up-river
potentates for so many men and
women. The said potentates burn
few villages, kill the babies and most of
the women, and fetch the able-bodied sur
vivors TO the coast, where they receive so
much head from the traders, who can
ship them to the points where their work
is required. Large portions of the interior
OF Africa have been fairly depopulated by
the raids of the slave dealers. Disputes
between kings are usually settled by trans
fers of slaves. Such human chattels are
remarkably cheap, bottle or two OF trade
gin being considered a fair equivalent for
either male or female. Wholesale
siaughters of slaves are apt TO be incl
dental to anv sort of festive celebration
NJ royal African court All prisoners
taken IN war. are either enslaved or exc
cuted with ire and spear. Tribal wars are
OF constant occurrence, on the slightest
pretexts or without any. II one tribe has
had no rain for awhile and neigboring
tribe has been more fortunate, the former