The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-16

has ever seen these fuins can incline TO suon
belief Though they seem to bs very old In.
deed. they do act By any means have the sp.
psaranes OF having bsea built hundreds OF
centuries ago. Very few white men have ever
visited tho ruins. but "a Mashonaland 10
thrown open to the civilized world archeolo-
xists will perhap~ examine the ruina and may
be ablo TO tell us to what age they belong.
The history Of the present natives OF Ma
shona 10 just - dark a. that OF the country It.
self. The population Is by no means Rrre
The natives live In "kraals." or villages scat
tered about the country. Nearly every kraal
IL Independent In government having its own
chief or induna. Thoro are. however. ssvsral
indunas who rule . number OF Villages. But
by far the grsa.er number OF villages have q
small population which lives by cultivating the
ground In close proximity 10 the village Most
OF the Villages arc built upon rugged granite
Inns. many OF which are inaccessible. except
By ono or two narrow passnses. This II espe-
cially true OF those villages Just across the
Matabalsiand border. remember that three
or four OF tho first villages We passed after
leaving Matabsleiand. 10 July last. were built
upon hills 500 or COO feet hieh. 30 steep and
preoiptuus that II was really impossible for US
at any rate to got to tho villages without
guide. and oven then 1t was most difficult TO
reach them. At one OF the villages tho chief
told us that loss than year before tho Mata-
bslss had made . raid. captured his father.
who was OF course the chief together with other
natives. and carried them to dubuluwayo. the
Matabsls capital Here the father was skianed
alive. These Matabele raids, which have been
20 frequent and disastrous to the Nashon
hitherto. have now ceased. a. the natives OF
hasbonaland are under tho protection OF the
English. Imagine tho terror in which those
unfortuuate natives used to live continually.
not knowing whom they would be swept down
upon by horde OF Matabeisa who would kill
all the men unable to escape. carry away the
women aud children for coneubines and
slaves. seize their cattle and goats. and sven
destroy their fields OF grain. Is 1t any wonder
that these mon hailed the advent OF the white
men with delight Now they may live in
peaco. increase their herds. and till the ground
in perfect saioty.
TIE hasbonss live In round huts, ten Or
Swelve feet in diameter and four feet or more
hiGh. They ale made OF small poles placed
perpendicularly on the ground close together.
and fastened with the bark Of . tree. Tho en-
tire inside Of the poles Is plastered with . mix
turc OF earth aud water. Tho roofs are also
made Of small poles. all Joining at point In
the centre somewhat higher than the walls.
Thoy arc then matched with grsss. Every vii
LACE has place set apart for It's grnnaries.
which are constructed much like the huss. but
oflen upou high and solitary granite boulders.
thus making access most difficult In those
sturshousss you will ind corn. kappa corn. and
the vsry finely ground meal OF each. also rice.
and in the proper season potatoes. tomatoes
and groundnuts. Lying about tho ground thsre
will likely be pumpkins. which the lashonas
raise in large numbers Tobacco. too. 10 OK
tensivsiy cultivated. and. after being treated
hw "a IA infn ahar >d
cakes. The Msshons tobacco. especially that
known as tho "minyoh Is considered worry
good BY = large number OF white men who
during the present famine use 1t.
Tho Mashonas, unlike their nsi9hbors on tho
east and west. arc far from warIiks. aud conse-
quently do not have many Of those cruel and
barbarous practices invariably found among
such peoples. They are o quiet and peaceful
tribe. - their physioRnomies indicate. For
many decades they have been subdued and
haraesed By tho Matabsle aud other nsighbor-
ing tribes. and this accounts for that lack Of
manly bearing and that weskns ss Of character
90 manifest among them. They are generally
Of deep black color. With soft and smooth
skin and features which show them 70 be far
removed FROM the real negro. Their features
are quite regular without the great nasal ridge.
very thick lips. broad nose. and marked prog
nathism Of the true negro. Many ofthsm have
. face which could easily DO termed handsome.
One very often sees men whose Gestures are
perfectly incompatible with black color and
plainly show the presence Of the blood Of Q
foreign race.
Tho most distinRuishing mark Of the
Mashonas is the manner In which they drsss
their hair 1t would Be impossible 70 describe
or even snumsrate the numerous fantastic
fashions OF hair dressing. Some Of the mon
cultivate heavy growth and work IL into
small lumps. upon which Is bestowed a pleLti-
full supply OF some greasy substance: Others
shave the head and small part OF tho crown
whore tufts Of every Imaginable form arc LETT.
into which grasses Of various oolors arc en-
twined. Another fashion loss frequently sson
10 that OF leaving small punches OF hair An
inch or 80 apart either on tho top or sides OF
the hoad. The punches are bound tightly with
thread nearly to the ends. which are left to
spread. This fashion gives the individual .
very Wild and fierce, appearance. Bright red
Tic fsmaies seem to Be loss particular about
Ss:d or Rss o Sns q .ms
.Gnna ths waist front apa TIE
arrival many wsar calico instead Of leather.
and a1ge number Of men aud boys have
their entire clothing. There 10 gsnsrally little
difficulty i4 engaging men and boys for labor.
but % rule they will work only long enough
to get shirt or blanket
~, The Mashona women do nearly all the work.
tabiss and prsD.rs the food Tor ito hust sands
70 eat and sell. For instance. tho men bring
large ausnttiss OF meal for sslA This has
danghters. The women hood tho ground with
small hoes. planted the corn and cultivated
rocks into vsiy 6ns meal.
CLAIRE A. oAA
MR. MALLORY'y WONDERFUL WE'LL