The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-22
SAVAGE SPLENDOR.
Description OF Banquet Held ip
Barbary.
tables Covered with Dishes and 0rna-
ments OF Solid Gold-A Sight to
Delight tho Heart of
Pawnbroker.

Iho following letter mas been Tor
wardcd to us, says the Pail Mall Ga
zctte, by u gentleman who has COM
mcrcial relations with the gold coast:
CAPE COAST CASTLE, June s, 1901
Dear -: / have just got down to the
coast after an unusually long trip in
land. The region have travelled over
will call Barbary for short, because it
is due south-though long way south
of the strip of coast that used to
brighten our forcfathers. All this is
now French polished, and there is
nothing to be seen there except the re-
Election of ourselves. Inland there is
still some interest. The tribes are in
dependent and keep their own customs.
They are prosperous, too, many of
them, and have acquired ideas of
luxurious living that one would rot cx-
pcct to find in the heart of Africa.
Just before making my way down
to the gold coast I was present
ut most interesting function
that would have given your
prcssmen copy" for week. 1t was
gigantic banquet given by the ancient
chief of the tribe among whom 1 was
staying to young warrior, the ruler
Of a neighboring tribe. All the swclls
of the tribe were there, of course-thc
chiefs sons and daughters and other
lSinsmcn, and the principal counselors
and fighting men. Some of them had
their too, wives, and they were very
much got up. Not being professional
reporter l cannot describe the costumes,
except to say that there was barbarc
profusion of gold. But the gold worn
by the guests was Il mere spccle of
dust compared to the gold displayed by
the old chief. There must have been
enough gold in that African hall to buy
up the Bank of England. Where it all
came from have no notion, but our
pioneers in south Africa, now that they
have been ousted from the Transvaal,
had better make a trip to my Barbary.
TO begin with, all the vessels out of
which the guests ate and drank were of
solid gold. The table, too, was thicllly
covered with the quaint ornaments that
savagcs delight in. Some of them were
clcverly wrought, so far as the art of
the people goes, but for the most part
their only merit, if it be one, was their
solidity. 1t was the style of thing that
would have delighted n flash pawn
broker from Whitechapel The 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 l could have carried off that
bird, or even Il bit of one of its wings,
my fortune would have boon made for
life. Apparently the old chief had a
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 bacl, was turned.
The golden bird, was told, had been
originally taken in war from distant
tribe, and another trophy taken from u
tribe in the same region was produced
to show the guests what mighty SOW
crcign they were dining with This
was lions head also of solid gold,
with diamonds for the teeth and eyes
But it is no good CONFERENCE.-The list 1
think you would have felt, as 1 did,
more disgust than pleasure. And as 1
came away after really good dinner,
but with my pockets cmpty-on my
word of honor l hadn't lifted even q
salt spoon-my principal feeling was
one of qualification that in Europe we
had got beyond this savage ostentation.