Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-24

An inaAxe-tiRs sketch Of lie On tie west csast
OF Africa is given IN = comAnEicaisoa 20 Ia
State Department by the He'll Chz.esils,
United States commercial agent a, LoAndo. ia
the Portuguese province OF Angola A. de-
fined BY The recent ;rSsfies wisn Germany.
England AID ;he Congo State. :he Po~ta-u,.a
proviRce Of Angola lie one OF The largest terri
toris. divisions OF the new map OF Africa.
Owing 10 it, geographic position, VARIETY o.
climates. natural resources sad to the progress
already accomplished in the civllsA zen Of he
natives. she intrinsic value aud immediate pos
sibiii;ies Of Angola surs.&ss those OF say otper
possession in tropical Africa
From degrees 40 minutes 20 II degrees q
minutes south lstsude IL has over twelv. geo
graz io degree. Of seseosst and the Two best
hsrbors c: TIE whole west coast the mouth of
the Congo rver aud n. Bsy u LosudA.
Stretching to the interior az far The kasaA
and zarnbezi rivers, it forms an irregular quad
rangle covering about 900 900 square siio-
nsters. In the north snt eas; Il bordor- on
the Congo State, in the .ou beast OF Bgltiah
La,nbesia- and IN The south OF German south
. vest Africa.
CLIMATIC oosDIrIoss.
As regards geographic latitude the whole Of
Angola lies in the tropics, bat il many hrge
tracts the climate IA a. sAluerious as any in the
temperate zone EverySh the temsersiure
! is sdvantageouslv m odified-on the coast by tile
sea breeze and higa blaas, where the Lea, In
! the shade il never the wear round, unpleasant,
/ and in The Interior b. the elevation OF the land.
OF course, the distance OF Il degrees betweon
the extreme north and south implies = variety
OF climates. irrespective OF orogsphic condi-
\ tons
The country NOV sptiy be divided into four
zones, running from north 20 south aud par
: allel with the coast
As rule it may be stated that, as Uo.st heat
Is detrimental 10 the white orgaRi-m while
highly beneficial TO vegetation. the most fer.lle
regions are also The most uEhesl,hy. aad. vice
versa, the most ss.ubr,ols districts are also the
least favored regards luyuriant yegeists,n
/ his rule. however. like AL, has few cAce -
tons. The mort unhealthy parts Of Angola are
I never. by far. deadly the geld coast AMI
! the Lower Niger. Or the coast. from Beusuelis
| north. and in all Other district. held to DO IA b.
! serous. il Is possible for whites Who can afford
! the comforts OF life and an occasional trip 20
the temperate gone to live goodly number OF
wears, though not without paying thsr tribE, =
Of fever or dyssatsry. Az race the ssitos
cannot eKiset to prosper anywhere north OF ~
| degres. sOu;s latitude. but the American n
! grses, though by no means fever proof, could
| mud genial home in al the high lad Of the
| interior
! Thss. again, the high piaseass Of the south
while perfectly adapted sor the white race ace
: aftE AEotA sttft-c iAeN hau Nlt4l abNnAsl4t
crops Of al that 4 produced in the subtropicnl
and temperate zones. but before The highland
Can offer Inducements TO white settlers il must
| be connected witE the seapors by means OF
| railroads.
POLITICAL oRSANIzkTyoS OF rsN NAEfvEs.
The political organization Of African tribes
il very much the same al over the continent,
! the differences bear rather on secondary points
and the personal chsracse-i.tics Of tribal Or la
tional rulers. These reHsrks apply imus-
diately to the tribe. II Angoa Proper, that is 81
the district of Loanas: but with slight Ino dif-
cations they would a.so be true OF the oteer
Ansolan districts and Of African tribes genor-
| ally.
| 1t viii be found that the native African sys-
tenn OF government Is both rational and prs c.
teal. In fact good It could be. Neither
absolutely democratic, ror alistoS lnsc, nor
| monsrchic. but hspyy blending OF these three
| fundamental typcs. Whether large or small svery
| village or town or tribe CT nation is governed
| after the same uniform pattern. The iegisla-
tive power IL vested IN the councii OF the elders
| or prominent men, which Includes al froc.ne5
| whose opinions have some weight il the ey IS ol
| the people. These elders are called Ia hi
mbuEdu ''ma-kota." They are the depoaitorles
| OF the tribe nations tradi.i customs.
! which constitute the laws or cons titution ac-
cording to which the body OF the elders, as well
as the chief, are administer public affair
and the chief executive is 10 be elected. Thus
this council pretty well corresponds 10 our par
| iamepts.
| AN ELEo5IvE KING.
The executive power is vested in the chief q,
king. whose title is, in northern Angola
.mfumu" or "ndembu;' in central Angoia
''soba." and in southern Angcla."o soma" As
q rule the chief is elected and Inausurated b.
the elders. in accordance wlth definite rules. In
| one royal family. the heir to the throne being
rarely the son. but most always ;he oldest or
| the abiest son of the deflncG or depOs.d king $
| Oldest sister. In the interest OF the state the
| chief has nominally absolute power over the
life and property Of his subjects: but prac-
| tically he can do nothing Without consulting
the council OF the most influential OF the elders
| and woe to him if lac offends public opinion.
He may suddenly be accused of witchcra.t and
fall victim TO the poison test or be deposed or
killed by the elders, with the consent and CO.
| operation of the pubic.
The chief Is called the father of the people
his subjects are called his children, and he is
| expected 10 treat them such.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION.
As in most Bantu tribes, it is the mother and
not the father who determines consanguinity
therefore the child Of sister is held by maa
| TO be his nearest descendant and legal heir
| The children belong TO their maternal uncle
| and not 10 their father The fathers relation
| to his children il loose as with US that of a
| steplatDSr 10 bis stepcnllcren- The uncle has
| the right TO sell his mel news and niecss sepa-
rating them from father, mother, brothers and
| sisters.
| Polygamy is everywhere honored, though its
| evil concomitants and consequences are not ig-
nored. Every wife has her own house. gardens
and private property. The first wife. OF head
| wife, has limited authority over The concu-
| bines, and the whole system works much more
| smoothly than people in civilization would
| imagine. Still Its demorslizing effects are
| everywhere visible, and there is no nope OF a
| regeneration Of the race long as poll gainy il
not condemned by public opinion and finally
| eradicated. The family is the foundation OF
the state and monogany the corner stone Of a
| normal household.
WIVES INSTEAD OF MONEY.
The absence Of metal or paper money 10 rep
resent capital has much to do with The popu-
larity OF polygamy, az each additional wife. with
house, children, fields and cattle IL considered a
paying Investment of capital The money or
presents given by the wooer for his bride are
| not as ually represented, her price" as
though she were simply bought, but the SYM
Dol and pledge OF the contract entered into. IL
he treats her numerically she can run away
and he loses his deposit. If, on the contrary,
| she should prove unfsithful, the parents will
have to return the equivalent of the wooing
| present Thus it IL a mutual check.
The creates. festivity of the native Angolans
| IA the wadiin1 Int he funeral calleS