The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-15
AFRICAN LAKE JEWELLERS.
BLACKS Who Res, Their yIuts on pIlos II
tho cntAm Waters.

kSiecks VINO ttSSt 'their yIutn on I'ltoa In
tho cni,am Waters.
Much attention was recently called 10
tho region around ko,onom. ON tho Gulf
OF Gnincn. near which place several
hundred OF tho wumen warriors Of tho
King Of DahOmry we're killed In ',aitle
Ivy the French troops Ono of the mo. {
Interesting fenturos OF this region Is tho
largo native villages and towns that llave
boon bnilt In the water. Tho inhabi-
tnnts many years ago took this means OF
trying To escape from tho terrible raids
OF tho King Of Dahomey. MANY hun
dreds OF people were actually driven Ivy
tho powerful King into the water. 1t
hnppons that tho Dahoman. arc worry
suprrStitiouS about travelling In canoes
or crossing streams, and tho fugitive s
took advantage OF this fact to securo
protection for themselves.
On any good map ono may SEQ tho
"Dcnhi m waters" near KOtonou. This
ia the homo Of these lake jewellers. Tho
towns have each q population Of from
200 TO 800 souls to ss many thousands.
Physically tho people uro lno and
healthy specimens OF Africans. and nv a
rule they arc fro" from disease. Gov
ernor Moloncy, Of Lagos. rays The houses
arc built uprn piles or struight branc hos
OF hard wood thrco to six Inches in
diameter. They arc driven into tho
bottom OF tho lake. Tho UPPER ends
arc secured ~ GRO, s-piccos. on which
mr." laid bamboo flooring iva thirds or
one-half Of which tx to,eitd in Ly a
house. The uprights OF tho ouse arc
liked first and secured lclow tho plat
form 10 the supporting piles. Tho roof
frhmo Is next made on II platform. nni
IL covered With grass or nmL,o leaves,
and rais'd TO its rositi.n Tie rc-
mining ortiz Of ftoril is mtd M u
,crnnda In tic on.tiuctiLn ITO nails
arc used.
III ESQ natives AFRO fishermen, and also
pastoral ltople. II Is curious fact
TINT they keep cattle in pens adjoining
their houses bu 1t on piles over tho
wafer like their dwellings, Sometimes
during tho dry sea. on tho shalluwnoss
OF the water admits III the cat tic lcinr
allowed TO Wander on terra iirma; hut
CIDER Is brought In sarors Ia ,nunv less
fortunate animals which arc compelled
TO ok" out tier Nistcnce in these pens
surrounded hy water until such time as
they arc tethcr"d and transpo, ted by
canoe to the butcher.
The present natives are still in dread
OF the nahOmians. hut oven II this fear
no longer EXIST d IL is probable that tho
habit which they and their fathers l,,-
forn them have long followed " ould lead
them to prefer these aquatic residences.
1t Il not known how many lake dwcllcrs
thero are. hut 1t is supposed there arc ut
least 10000 OF them among the various
tribes whose hut| cover tho Denham
waters. Once In while these tribes
mako war on ono another, and thoy con
duet their fighting IN canoes. capable OF
holding two or three persons. and their
weapons are guns, harpoons. spears und
clubs.
In somo other parts OF Africa. par
tlcularly in the Congo basin. the habit
OF dwelling tn hutI su stained on pilua
In lakes or rivers Is very largely follow
cd. and pcrha?, n million or two OF the
people OF Africa arc still pcrprtuatiny
tho phase OF life OF which we la Wv relics
In the romans OF tho lake dwcllors OF
the prehistoric era IN. Y. Sun.