Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-01-03
LAKE JEWELLERS IN AFRICA.

Thousands OF Blacks Who Rear Theis
Hats Piles I'm the Denham Waters.
Much attention was recently called
to the region around Kotoaou, on the
Gull of Guinea, pear which place sew.
eral hund ed ef the women warriors OF
the King Of Dab iaey were Ii ed in
battle by the French troops. One Of
the most interesting feaiulei OF this re-
gion is the large native villages aud
towns that have been built In the water.
The Inhabitants many years ago took
this means Of trying to escape from the
e,rib.e raids Of the King Of Dahomey.
Man, hundreds of eople were actually
driven by the powerful HI G into the
water. 1t happens that the Dahomians
are very superstitious about travelling
III canoes or crossing streams. and the
fugitiyes took advantage of this fact to
secure protection for themselves.
On any good map one may see the
@Denham waters near Kotonou. This
is the home Of these lake dwelleTs. The
towns have each a population Of from
2a0 or 800 souls to Us many thousands.
Physically the people are fine and
healthy specimens OF Africans, and as
rue they are free from disea g. Gov.
Mo,oney Of Lagos says the houses are
butt upon piles or straight branches OF
had woCd three to six inches in
diameter. They are driven into the
bottom Of the lake Tie upper ends
are secured By cross pieces, on which
are aid bamboo flooring, two-thirds
r one-haif Of which is covered iu by
house. The uprights Of the house are
fixed first and secured below the plat
form to the supporting piles. The roof
frame Is next made on the platform, aud
Is covered with grass or bamboo leaves,
and raised to its position. The remain
ing portion of flooring is used as YER
aDda. In the construction TO nails are
used.
These natives are fishermen aud 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 shaliowness
Of the wa err admits of the cattle being
allowed to wander on terra firma; but
fodder is brought in canoes to many
less fortunate animals which are COM
PEELED to exc out their existence in
these pens surrounded by water until
such time as they are tethered and
transported by canoe to the butcher.
The present natives are still in dread
Of the Dahomians, ibut even if this fear
no longer existed it is probable that the
habit which they and their fathers be-
fore them have long followed would
lead them to prefer these aquatic resi-
dences. II is not known how many lake
dwellers there are, but it is supposed
there are at least 10000 of them among
the various tribes whose huts cover the
Denham waters. Once in while these
tribes make war on one another, and
they conduct their fighting in canoes,
ca abe OF holding two OF three persons,
and their weapons are guns, harpoons,
spears, and clubs.
In some other parts of Africa, par
ticularly in the Congo basin. the habit
of dwelling in huts sustained on pies
in laaes Or rivers is very largely fol-
lowed, and perhaps million or two Of
tie people of Africa are still perpetnat-
Jog the phrase of life of which we have
relies in the remains of the lake dwell
lers of the prcl is.oric era