Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-12
THE WA CHAGA FOLKS
Interesting Sayages Found by
DR.. W. L. Abbott on Kill.
ma-Njaro Volcano.
ONE SULTAN LOVES TOYS,
Another Has Long Tunnels in the
Mountain for Protection.
TWICE AS MANY WOMEN AS MEN.
Race Characteristic Is Passion for
Stealing Chickens
AFRICES SITE FOR A BIG SANITARIUN
ONE SULTAN LOVES TOYS,
TWICE AS MANY WOMEN AS MEN.
4FRICL'S SITE FOR A BIG SANITARIUN
rwRITrEx FOR THE prsPArcH.l

mountain called hlllma-N laro, furnish the
subject of an interesting monograph about
to be issued by the Smithsonian Institution.
This remarkable volcano is situated 115
miles from the east coast and Just south of
the Equator, capped with eternal SHOWS and
glaciers For centuries its existence was
only known through reports obtained from
the natives, and not until 1S49 was it seen
BY white man-the missionary krapf
The country between it and the nearest sea-
port. Momhasa, which is the headquarters
of the British East African Company, is q
desert.
The mountain has two cones, kibo and
Kimawenzi, the former containing a crater
5000 feet across and 600 feet deep, and the
latter being a black dome of rotten lava A
ridge Is. 600 feet high Joins the two peaks,
the higher of which attains an altitude of
10000 feet The peaks are eight miles
apart Many explorers have tried in vain
50 reach the SUBMITS, but success in this
attempt was reserved for DR.. W. L. Abbott,
-he writer quoted, who climbed with a COM
panion to the lottiest points, although they
nearly lost their lives many times, owing to
the rotten ice on Kibo, in which they sank
frequently TO their armpits, and to the
prccipices of crumbling lava on kimawenzi,
from which great masses fell in avalanches
Al She slightest touch.
Throu-h h Every Range OF Climate.
They ascended from the tropical climate
Of the surrounding plain through q series of
zones, ca ch having its own fora and fauna
until the Arctic line of snow was reached at
the height of Is, 900 feet The strip popu-
lated by human beings was we'll defined,
extending along the slopes of the
mountain for 60 miles, from 5000 to
5,400 feet above sea level On every hand
were tie extinct craters of smaller vol
canoes, one OF them forming lake called
Chala, two miles wide, the lava walls of
which rose rerpendicularly 200 feet from
the waters e,jge. This sheet of water was
inhabited by numerous crocodiles and GER
Eain extraordinary species of fishes The
forests from 5000 to 10000 feet had a most
curious appearance, the trunks and branches
being completely covered with orchids,
terms snd MOSES. Same of the larger trees
were regular botanical gardens. crowded
with parasitic plants of amazing variety.
The populated strip along the side of this
volcanic elevation is from two to five miles
wide and is occupied by TO, 900 natives 1t
IS divided into no less than 80 states, each
governed BY a more or less independent
by patch of wilderness or
deep gorge. The biggest state has
10000 Inhabitants, while those least in
size have only FROM 100 to 300
subjects The people call themselves
the Wa Chaga At the north end of the 60
mile zone is the nation of Useri, with
population Of 6,000 governed by Malimia,
a sultan " no is shy of strangers because he
fears they NAV bewitch him. Most amiable
of these petty monarchs is Miliari, ruler of
Marang, no has 900 warriors and is q
great friend of Europeans West of Ma
rang is hilemma, whose King, Fumba, has
made himself so notorious by his begging
habits thai foreigners avoid taxing his hos
pitality.
A Sultan Who Loves Toys.
By far the most enlightened of these
feudel potentates, however, is Mandara,
King of Moshi, who has sent ambassadors
TO the Emperor of Germany. He has made
a business of accumulating European curl
osities OF every imaginable sort-toy steam
engines, clocks, guns OF many patterns,
stereoscopes, sewing machines, books, etc
He keeps these treasures stored away,
bringing them out Gee sionally for his own
amusement or to exhibit before the envious
eyes OF visiting chiefs.
Most powerful of all the sultsns is Cena
ruler OF Kibosho, who holds his own against
all the other chiefs allied against him. He
has constructed beneath his stockade re-
markable system of underground passages,
bv means of which his wives and cattle
could at any time escape from foe, emerg-
ing far away through secret tunnels.
The men of the Wa Chaga are not we'll
made physically, but the women are very
erect, owing 10 the habit OF carrying loads
on their heads. Many of the young girls
are pretty, and some OF the ladies of Man.
dara's harem would be beauties in any
country. The wives are obliged to wash
themselves daily, and soap is in great de-
mand. Every man has as many wives as he
can get, so that there are no old maids. The
women outnumber the men in a ratio of
five to three, partly owing to loss of life in
wars. Wives are purchased Tor sheep and
goats, and more rarely for cows At we'd
ding the bride is decked with all the beads
she can borrow for the occasion in the shape
OF glrdies, necklaces etc, and is plenti-
fully smeared with red ochre. When about
TO make an addition to the family the
woman wears a noisy iron rattle on her
thigh.
Weakness for Chicken Stealing.
The sultans have absolute power over the
lives and property of their subjects, though
they are controlled by many customs They
claim ownership to all cattle within their
domains and monopoly OF the ivory trade.
Wars are common, their purpose being
usually to obtain cattle or slaves. The lat
ter are sold to traders from the coast, who
are always waiting around the courts of the
chieIs, 10 pick up such merchandise. The
Wa Chaga are incorrigible thieves, being
particularly given 10 chicken stealing. DIR.
Abbott found a convenient protection
against their depredations in the reputation
he acquired as a sorcerer. His fame in this
respect was completely established by
spriag-gun in his store room, which went off
snd shot one of the guards placed in charge
OF the provisions
For the dress of both sexes white sheet
ing and bright calicoes, brought by the
coast traders, are the iavorite materials
Little girls wear nothing worth mentioning
besides a bead girdle with small patch Of
cloth hung in front. All the women adorn
themselves with as many girdles and
necklaces of beads as they can OBJ
tain. They are iond of massive pewter
bracelets that weigh several pounds
each, as well as Oh armlets and ank-
lets OF copper or iron wire. The dress of q
warrior usually consists OF ruff OF ostrich
feathers around the face, large cape of
vulture feathers, anklets of black monkey
akin. and a bit OF red cloth around the
Ioius. all OF which make up an attire that is
both striking and picturesque. For battle
spear with long and beautiful blade Of
steel is carried, together with huge oval
sbield OF buffalo hide, painted with the
beraIdic pattern OF the owners tribe.
Their Houses Are Like Beehives.
There are no villages, each family living