The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-04-09
SELECTED.
A Lady among savages
Mrs. David Ker.

1t Is queer sensation, to those no
used to 1t, to be the centre of attraction
to hundreds of people, to he surrounded
by sea of faces, and all staring hard a
you with different EXPIRE 5sions of wonder
curiosity, and amusement. But then
was the first white woman that the Dual
las of the Came oons River, West Africa,
had ever seen, and so 1t was no wonder
that they were sstonished Mt my appear
ance in their village.
Everybody left Off their different occu
patioDs and followed us wherever VIZ
went, shouting and laughing, and al
struggling to get near me. Crowds OF
them ran on in front, and then, turning
round to stare for few seconds, woulC
rush on again to keep up with us.
But my embarrassment at being the
cause of so much excitement soon wore
off, for |, In my turn had much to see anc
wonder at In West African village. The
people were about the same height a.
Europeans, their skin very dark and som,
times nearly black. Neither men nor wo
men wore anything but a waist cloth
which in the case of chiefs was of rich
material and bright color. Most of tn,
people were tattooed, especially the young
girls, whose. cheeks, noses, and foreheads
were strongly marked, and thought very
beautiful.
The most fashionable of these girls
wore their hair (Which was crisp anc
wooly) cut into the shape of circles cul
minating at the top of the head, and be
tween each two of the rows were bright
colored beads and brass ornaments. Huge
BRASS pins were stuck into the wool just
behind the ears. They also wore very
long and large brass ear rings and guam
Titles of colored beads round the neck and
wrists.
The streets were bright and spotlessly
clean, and the little bamboo houses with
-thatched roofs on either side the
road were very neat and pretty; and here
and there were lovely palm-trees and huge
cotton woods.
1.-The families cook and eat under these
trees said Mr.. A, who acted as our
guide, ''for you see the houses have Meth
er windows nor tlreplaces. Just peep In
here, and you will see the only furniture
is the bamboo bed and these few stools
and calabashes."
Just then a slim, good-looking girl broke
through the crowd, and rushing up to Mr..
A, seized hold of his arm and began
talking very fast and earnestly as If beg
ging some favor. Her great black eyes
looked so sad and wistful that my heart
went out TO her, and | felt so glad to see
Mr.. A-smile as if willing to do what she
asked. She just gave him one look OF
thanks and then was gone.
"IVho is that girl and do tell me what
she was wanting you to do?" l asked.
'She says her mother is very i'll and she
wants me to make her well. You know |
have studied medicine for some time, and
people here think cure by magic. The
Duallas have a horribly cruel custom with
their sick III the patient does not get well
in week or two, he or she is taken out
into the bush about four or five miles
from the town, placed upon a rude bam-
boo bedstead, and left utterly alone, q
woman coming once g day to give the pa
tent food and water, and to light fire.
The poor wretch of course soon dies of
fright at being left to the mercy of the
wild beasts, whose growls and yells alone
break the monotony of the long, dreary
night"
But the Baptist missionaries have
nearly got the people to do away with
this wicked custom, and the more borri-
Die one of beating to death the unfortu-
nate person who is said by the n'ghmbi
man fortune -teller) to have bewitched
the sick person. When we Europeans
are kind and unselhsh, it is wonderful
how much influence we get over these
people. But the Duallas have some SEN
timent in them, for they bury the dead
under the houses they occupied when
alive, and they would think it most cruel
and unfeeling to cast the deceased out of
their homes.'
A large, fat, important-looking man,
with striped waist-cloth, now came up
to US, and asked us if we should like to
see dance. He possessed four European
chairs (for he WAS great chief, and we
sat down under the shade of a beautiful
cottonwood and the dance began.
ring was formed of boys of all sizes,
who, with their elbows drawn close to
their sides, walked slowly round twitch-
ing every muscle OF the body, while the
women and girls, forming an outer ring
stood around clappng their hands to a
sort of measure. This dance was curious
but neither beautiful nor inspiriting.
We were next shown big wooden
drum, which Mr.. A-called the Dualla tel
ephone, and he explained to us how, by
diff rent ways of beating 1t conversation
could be carried on by natives two miles
apart.
Just as we were about to go (for the
sun was setting, and we had to get down
to the river where our boat was waiting
for us), Mr. A-motioned to me to look
at two girls standing close by, one of
whom was doing something to the others
eye with what looked like sort of bod
kin.
'She is taking out an eyelash," laughed
he. Have you not noticed that none of
the Duallas have eyelashes2 They think
they destroy the sight, so they pluck out
the hairs as soon as they grow"
Crowds of people followed us to the
river, and found 1t very Notifying to
my dignity to be snatched up and carried
to the boat like baby. Two other boat
men took Mr.. Ker and Mr.. A-on their
backs and carried them also on board. for
to say nothing of the crocodiles, chill in
West Africa means fever, and we had had
too much Of that.
The natives, however, came wading out
by dozens, struggling to get the last shake
Of my hand, with the hattering compli-
ment: "Now that we hive seen the white
woman we can die contented.
Bazaar.
Num- n Hvn nathv