The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-22
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

n LEARNED p4OicSSOE Will a Moody writes
stonishing things from Africa to his brother
in Australia, says the New York Press. His
hobby is e belief that monkeys have a language
or their own which is capable of translation
with tolerable accuracy into human speech and
he is in Africa b5nt upon verifying his theory
by extended study OF mOnkeys In their native
wllds. Prof. Garner asserts that he has chin
panzee which can say in the Masri dialect Good
day, stranger; a gorilla which has mastered
about twenty FIian words: and an ctIra n o
outang which has learned from a German at
tendant to elecuate, "Tonner and bIitzin.
The Professor declares that he has written
Gown about 200 words OF the monkey language
The phonetic representations of a few Of them
are given. Thus, 'achTu means sun, fire.
warmth. "Kukcha" is water rain coli or any.
thing disagreeable. "Ghosku" signifies food
or the act Of eating. You will see from this &"
the professor continues, that it is very print
tive language. There are perhaps not more
than twenty or thirty words in Il that have
not already got, 80 that my task is now practi-
calIy completed" Due allowance must be
made in receiving this information for the ex-
uberanCe which usually characterizes an on
thusiasts treatment of bis hobby Neverthe-
less it would seem that there must be enong b
or truth IN his statements to interest humanity.
THE Balubans, as the natives OF the Muan.
sanyomma district of Central Africa are styled,
enjoy an excellent local reputation as iron
workers, says London Iron. They find their
crude material in the form of bog-iroa ore on
the surface OF the land. IL rarely happens that
QlBklnR TO an appreciate depth is necessary
Their smelling furnaces, which are constructed
OF clay, are from six to ten feet high from
forty to sixty inches IN diameter at the base
and conical in shape. The oro Is tipped into
the furnace from above; the charcoal on the
other hand, is introduced into basin like side
openings, which also receive a continuous air
blast while the iron and Stag are removed
from the bottom OF the furnace about
every eight or twelve hours, according
TO the degree of heat obtained. Tue forge is a
circular building, some sixteen feet in diameter
with pointed roof and open sides, At a dis
lance it might be taken for park band stand
In the center of this hut Is the fire which ia
maintained in constant activity by means of a
unique pair OF bellows, which merit q special
description. They consist OF block of wood
generally twenty inches long, followed out and
fitted with funnel head made out of clay, AT
the lower end are two orif1ces, over which skins
are stretched. Motion is impaired TO the in
strument by the action Of two small rods The
hammer is OF solid iron; the tongs are
mArvels Of simplicity - to-wit: bent
palm branch. An iron wedge driven
into timber hole serves as an anvil The REG
objections of the Balubans carry them back to
the time when they wrought metals with stone
tools. Some OF the natives are comparatively
artistic workers, Very fine axes. tastefuly
inlaid with copper are introduced. Strikes
among these swarthy artifoe rs, it should be
noted, are of comparatively rare occurrence
probably owing to the fact that the malcon-
tents invariably have their heads Topped off and
their skins placed on one side for patching
or, In case OF need, entirely recovering the
aforesaid curious bellows.
THE favorite sport on the Orinoco llanos. 80
far as mere amusement goes. says the Chicago
Inter Ocean, is crocodile hunting, and beam
tiful river about mile from our friends the
ultnoisan's hut. is the frequent base of opera-
tlons, being celebrated for the size and number
of its crocodiles. The steep banks are fringed
with magnificent vegetation, where sitting
quietly at a safe distance you may see them
gliding lazy under the tranquil waters, or only
the upper part Of their heads being visible but
appearing to regard you with an evil eye. None
| OF the usual angling implements are required
I for this sort Of fishing, nothing but hoop
about three feet in diameter made from a
! light vine common on the rivers bank with
| strips Of fresh beef wound around il and a
strong lazo with running moose laid over the
| bait. This simple decoy is then thrown into
| the stream and the instant it touches the water
| several crocodiles with open jaws lake a rush
| for it. The one that reaches it first in hia
| eagerness to escape with the prizes sticks his
medately secures him. But it needs at least
half dozen men to drag him out for he braces
his feet with uncomfortable strength against
the bank and fights for all ne is worth No
wonder they are so numerous In these com
paratively uudisturbed waters Judging from
their eggshells. which strew the banks after
the breeding season. Each female averages
forty eggs, which she lays in a hole In the sand
leaving the not sun to hatch them out each
egg about twice the size Of those of q turkey
Returning with infallible instinct at the period
when incubation is com pleted the mother croco-
die, despite her wicked ways in all other re-
spects, exhibits some tenderness toward her
offspring. No sooner are they liberated than
the infant imps display their savage nature in
d marked degree, biting at every object within
reach, Uni Ike birds eggs, those OF the croco-
die are soft and plaGle, yielding to the pres
sure OF tie fingers when handled. yet so tough
that it is extremely difficult to break them. They
are white, like parchment, and Indians con
slider them the greatest of delicacies cooked in
hot ashes just before they are Matched.