The morning call., 1891-01-04
THE LAKE JEWELLERS.
Curious Residences Inhabited by Tribe Of
African Ab9TigilGS.

Much attention was recently called to the
region around Kotonou, on the Gulf of
Guinea, near which place several hundred
of the women warriors of the King Of Da-
honey were killed in battle by the French
troops. One of the most interesting features
of this region is the large native villages and
towns that have been built in the water
The Inhabitants many years ago took this
means of trying to escape from the terrible
raids of the King of Dahomey. Many hun
dreds of people we're actually driven by the
powerful King into the water 1t happens
that the Dahomians are very superstItlous
about travelling in canoes or crossing
streams. and the fugitVes took advantage of
this fact TO secure protection for them
selves.
On any good map, saws the New York
Sun, one may see the ''Denham waters,
near KOtonou. This is the home of these
lake jewellers. The towns have each a pop
ulation of from 200 or 300 souls to as many
thousands. Physically the people are tne
and healthy specimens of Africans, and as
rule they are free from disease Governor
Moloney of Lagos says the houses are built
upon piles or straight branches Of hard wood
three to six inches in diameter. They are
driven into the bottom OF the lake. The up
per ends are secured by cross pieces, on
which are laid bamboo flooring, twO-
thirds or Onehalf of which is covered in by a
HOucc. Iut uVllsubS VI TIC HOUSES dIt uAtu
first and secured below the platform to the
supporting piles. The root frame is next
made on 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 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 shallOwneSS of the water admits
of the cattle being allowed to wander on
terra tirma, but fodder is brought in canoes
to many less fortunate animals which are
compelled to exc out their existence in these
pens surrounded by water until such time as
they are tethered and trans ported by canoe
to the butcher.
The present natives are still in dread of
the DahOmians, but even if this fear no
longer existed ii is probable that the habit
which they and their fathers before them
have long followed would lead them to pre-
fer these aquatic residences. 1t is not known
how many lake jewellers there are, but it is
supposed there are at least 1900 of them
among the various tribes whose huts cover
the Denham waters. Once in a while these
tribes make war on one another and they
conduct thei fighting in canoes, capable of
holding two three persons, and their
weapons are guns, harpoons, spears and
clubs.
In some other parts of Africa, particularly
in the Congo basin, the habit of dwelling iii
huts sustained on piles in lakes or rivers is
very largely followed, and perhaps million
or two of the people OF Africa are still per-
petuating the phase of life of which we have
relics in the remains of the lake jewellers of
tho prehistoric era.