New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-23
PART III.
PAGES 25 TO 20.
A RACE OF PYGMIES.
DR. STUIILMANNS INVESTIGATIONS IN EQUAe
TORIAL AFRICA.

Il
markable Notifications of ancient stories which
have for many years until now been regarded
as fictitious and NEUROLOGICAL In the time Of
Herodotus legends abounded concerning the
sources of the Nile. That region was peopled
with all sorts Of extraordinary beings, including
a race of pygmy men. 1t has been customary to
regard these last as in the same category with
the phoenix and other fabulous monsters. Mr.
Stancy's remarkable explorations during hts
march to the relief of Emin Pacha, however, not
only revealed for the first time the sources Of
the Nile and the Mountains of the Moon, hue
proved the actual existence. even at the presene
day, Of exactly such a miniature race as was Do
scribed by the ancient Greeks. And now Dr.
Stuhlmann, who was Emin Pacha's companion
in the latters explorations ABOUT Victoria Lake.
has actually brought to Europe and is exhibiting
in Berlin living specimens of that race.
These African pygmies are of the negro type,
although presenting some variations from the form
Of it most familiar to the Western World. Their
size is that Of ordinary children Of about ten
years Of age. 1t is seldom that any of pure blood
found more than four and half feet tall.
and the fact that their huts are only four feet
three inches high indicates their average stature
They are remarkably agile in all their movements,
and their senses of smell, sight and hearing arc
developed TO an extraordinarily acute degree.
These facts, added to their indomitable courage,
make them formidable fighters, whether against
men or beasts. Their weapons are chiefly bows
and arrows, the tips Of the latter often being
poisoned They traverse the dense equatorial
forests in troops Of from score 10 a Thousand,
and are greatly dreaded by all the surrounding
tribes.
during our second stay with Chief Masam.
biri, south of Albert Lake." says DR.. Stuhl.
81, al, .Io, A.
forest and brought back with them two pygmies,
a man and woman, bound hand and foot.
They were from the forest northwest of the
Kiska Mountains. We bought them, and sue
ceeded about month later in acquiring another
woman from the Maniema. They soon became as
coriding their natural shyness permitted,
and went with Ms 10 the East African coast.
The man was about twenty-five years old,
little over four feet six inches in height, and
so shy that it was hardly possible TO get him
70 answer questions. He could never look US
in the face, his eyes always wandering restlessly
| about lie afterward learned some Kisuahelt,
laughed occasionally with our people when he
thought himself unobserved. but never threw OF
his tacturn demeanor Owing 10 severe ILL
ness which Frustrated me at that time, was
unable 70 pay attention 10 him, so he remained
unnoticed and said nothing Of fever WHICH
had seized him. Unfortunately he died OF It,
sent his skeleton TO Professor Nirchow, VINO mas
expressed the intention TO subject il to anthro-
rolo2ica investigation.
"Takinr the growth and development OF these
little people into account, it would NOT DE CUT
rect to call them dwarfs, since TINS term Is euh-
nectcd with the idea of maliormatioh' in0
beigb. Of the men varies from four feet two inches
20 four feet nine and half inches. but those WHO
are above four feet six inches are
|
of the body is the portion most fully developed;
the legs are thin-those of the women however,
| rather less 80 than those Of the men. The feet
ore Thin and slender: in walking the toes are
| ro. turned outward but inward. or at pest
held straight The gait is wavy and CAUTIOUS
but not feeble The arms are well formed the
| hand. remarkably small. with elegant, rounded
whitish nails In the whole formation Of Their
homes is seen similarity with those OF OUT
children The head j. roundi>h. although strong
| lateral projections of the forehead ana vi 'ie
parlotal bone cause it TO look square. Inc lore.
Lc,d j. hirh and vertical, the eyebrows olten
strongly developed. The nose i OF the broadS
fat negro type, and consequently the inns
angles OF the eyes are very widely separatea lion
each other The eyes are large and dark brown.
Tie formation of the upper lip, which stretches
! forward convcNly, is very Characteristic. Inc
Inns are not very thick. and the pccnllafl'y no
feed by Emin is clearly pcrc"p'ioe-'iA;' .hao
their mucous membrane is rosecolored, while in
,h lno" ra"rocs il is very dark colored. The hair
is woody, and as soon as II grows more th;in an
punches lhe roots of the hair DO not appear
in groups, like the brstles of brush, as Is INC
ease with many negroes. but are pretty equally
disposed over the skin Of the heal. ne co9t
of The hair il "A brilliant black. often with shade
of brown in it. The beard grows chiefly on INC
| upper lip; on the elm ii is quit, ireple. INC
color of the skin varies from dark chocoiate
brown 10 a yellowish brown. Many Wrinkles
are seen, which SEEM however. to be a cohs-
Guencc of insufficient nourishment or OF old age.
The women seem to be. a. rur' IL" ceh'i-
metres smaller than the men. .;o. al, .,
The clothing of the men consists only OF .
narrow strip of bast inner bark from species
| If fgtrcr | never saw among them the smallest
trace Of ornamental dress or tatt9oii3. In t
only ornaments are small holes in the upper up
into which thin eras.->taks ar" stack. occaslon-
'IIv the sentnm of the nose is also bored through,
rs we'll as one of the ear-laps. through whlcn
they then thrust small wooden pegs I'LL Inc dee.n
men. II consists of cord round the lons on
which fresh leaves are hung; teSs e. are on ''o gn.
orally shave away their hair, except narrow
strip above the right ear. They are very dirty.
ore very clcanly-more So indeed, than tie aver.
are Eiropean. When they sleep they draw up
their knees, and lay one hand under me neal neal.
They keep up their fires continually they seem
unable TO obtain fire by rubbing sticks together,
and. therefore, when they change Their, quarters
they take with them a loren, whlch ,ii'! ali
bow bow? with a string of rattan. Their arrows are
carried in sack of raw leather, which they hang
oXar orc shoulder They usually made or
wood only, but some have heads of iron, which
they obtain by barter from the neish6orlng PEG;
Pies Their poisoned arrows are deeply no', ,hat
below the head. and often have barbs, so that
an attempt to draw out an arrow causes Il 10
break off in the wound; Instead OF feathers,
81 rho arrow The poison employed Is OF
Vegetable nature, and is greatly feared by tne
natives II it remains some time IN the wouht,
II c,lses death, and even If il is quickly removed
II is usually followed by strong purulent DIS
charge which causes tetanus. with proper trear
ment, however, this poison Is by no means uan'
serOus. :. a,-;n.
From their exclusive of wood in making
their weapons, We may suppose the pygmies 10 e, We
still in their most primitive age Of wood ihey
have no domestic animals except dogs these
are small, Of the color of yellow leather, sharp
nos.d with upright triangular ears. They alG In
Gndinr the game Whether the pygmes are cannl.