Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-01-03
LAKE OwEGlERs IN AFRICA.


T,,ons:,ut,s of rIacks Who Rear Their
Huts on Piles ii, the Denhum Waters.
..A;1s(l .atsontiGn YES egycearly called
to the regi;in arunl;t lyptprENf.. OFT the
Gulf of GHinca. -lcar wIaitll place sew
eral hundred Of the wo!sen warriors OF
t;,e- kins.of Dallontey5 killrd in
-ba,t!ss. t~ -thc.French troops VSne Of
the most. i.4r>71'<ting features .of this
region Is tis large natiy..>xillages and
towns thai iiave bSan Built in the w:
ter Tie ialiab4ants many years ago
roo< this means Of crying to escape
from o1na7teFrible lr.idS-oF the King Of
Dahoincy< Many hundreds of people
were actually driven by the powerful
King in!o the water 1t happens tina;
the Dahomians are very superstitious
about travelling in canoes or crossing
streams. and the fugitives took advan-
taec of this fact to secure protection
for themselves.
On any good map one may see the
.'Dcni;.,:l waters near kotonou. This
is the home of these lake dwclers
The towns have each Il population OF
., fyon 200 TO $50 souls to- us many
...s,,s.s.illls. Physically the people are
fine and healthy specimens; = :. Africans.
and ASA rule they ere free from disease.
Governor Moloney. of Lagos, says the
houses are built upon piles or straight
branches of hard wood three 70 six
inches in dialuetcr.
They are driven into the bottom OF
the lake The upper ends are secured
by cross pieces. on which is laid a
bamboo flooring. two-thirds or one
half of which is covered in by Il house,
The uprights Of tie house are fixed
first and-secured below the platform
TO the supporting piles The roof
frame IS noxt made OH the platform.
and is covered with grass or bamboo
leaves and raised TO its position. The
remaining portion of flooring is used
as a veranda In the construction no
nails are used.
These natives are fishermen and also
pastoral people. 1t is a curious fact
that they keep cattle in pens adjoining
their houses built on piles over the
water like their dwellings. Sometimes
during the dry season the shallowuess
of the water admits of the cattle being
allowed to wander OF terra tirlna. but
fodder is brought in canoes to many
loss fortunate animals. which are com
PEELED TO exc cut their existence in
these pens surrounded by water until
such time us they are tethered and
transported l;y canoe to the butcher
The present natives are still in dread
OF the Dalioiria,ls, but even if this fear
no longer cxisTed it is probable that
the habit which they and their fathers
before them have long followed would
lead them To prefer these aquatic resi-
dcnccs.
1t is not known low many lake dwell
ers there &rr. but it is supposed there
are at leasr 10000 of them among the
various tribes whose huts cover the
Denllam waters Once in Il while
these tribes rake war on one another,
and they conduct Heir fighting in Gu
noes capable OF licItling two or three
persons. and their weapons are guns,
llarpoons. spears and clubs
In some other parts of Africa, par.
1icularly in the Congo basin. the habit
Of dwelling i'll liutS sustained on piles
il. lakes or rivers is very largely fol
lowed. ard perhaps Il million or two Of
the people of .lfric;. are still perpctua
ting tho phase OF life OF which we have
relics in The remains Ct the lake dwcilers
of the prehistoric ca. New York Sun.