The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-05
ST WHITE WOMAN.
CURIOSITY OF SAvAGES AT THE
SIGHT OF AN AMERICAN.

Customs of the People She Saw There.
How the Sick Are Treated.
1t is a queer sensation, to those not used
10 it, to be the center of attraction to hun
1reds of people, to be surrounded by sea
Of faces, and all staring hard at you with
different expressions of wonder, curiosity
and amusement But then | was the first
white woman that the Duallas of the Cam
eroons river, West Africa. had ever seen,
and so it was no wonder that they were as
tonished at my appearance in their village
Everybody left OF their different occupa-
tons and followed us wherever we went,
shouting and laughing, and all struggling
to get near me. Crowds of them ran on
in front, and then, turning round to stare
for a few seconds, would rush on again to
keep up with us.
But my embarrassment at being the
cause of such excitement soon wore off, for
J. in my turn, had much to see and wonder
at in West African village. The people
were about the same height as Europeans,
their skin very dark and sometimes nearly
black. Neither men nor women wore any
thing but n waistcloth, which in the case
VI tulClS W uS VI u lICll anu
color. Most of the people were tattOed, es-
pecially the young girls, whose checks,
noses and foreheads were strongly marked,
and thought very beautiful.
The most fashionable of these girls wore
their hair (Which was crisp and woolly) cut
into the shape of circles eliminating at the
top of the head, and between each two of
the rows were bright colored beads and
brass ornaments. Huge brass pins were
stuck into the wool just behind the ears.
They also wore very long and large brass
earrings, and quantities of colored beads
round the neck and wrists.
THE PEOPLE.
The streets were straight and spotlessly
clean, and the little bamboo houses with
palm matched roofs on either side the
road We're very neat and pretty; and here
and there were lovely palm trees and huge
cOttonwoods.
"The families cook and eat under these
trees said Mr.. A, who acted as our
guide, "for you see the houses have neither
windows nor freplaces. just peep in here,
and you will see the only furniture is the
bamboo bed and these few stools and Gala
bashes"
Just then a slim, good looking girl broke
through the crowd, and rushing up to
Mr. A, seized hold Of his arm and be-
gan talking very fast and earnestly, rs if
begging some favor. Her great black eyes
looked so sad and wistful that my heart
went out to her, and felt SO glad to see
Mr. A smile as if willing to do what
she asked. She just gave him one look of
thanks and then was gone.
"Who is that girl; and do tell me what
she is wanting you to do?" asked.
"She says her mother is very ill, and she
wants me to make her we'll. You know
have studied medicine for some time, and
the people here think cure by magic. The
Duailas have horribly cruel custom with
their sick. If the patient does not get well
in week or two he or she is taken out into
the bush about four or five miles from the
town, placed upon a rude bamboo bed
stead, and left utterly alone, woman
coming once day to give the patient food
and water and to light fire. The poor
wretch Of course soon dies of fright at
being left to the mercy of the wild beasts,
whose growls and yells alone break the
monotony of the long dreary night.
THE SICK AND THE DEAD.
"But the Baptist missionaries have near
ly got the people to do away with this
wicked custom, and the more horrible one
of beating to death the unfortunate person
who is said by the n'gambi man fortune
teller to have bewitched the sick person.
When we Europeans are kind and unset
fish it is wonderful how mnch influence
we get over these people. But the Duallas
have some sentiment in them, for they
bury the dead under the houses which they
occupied when alive, and they would think
it most cruel and unfeeling to cast the de-
ceased out of their homes"
A large, fat, important looking man,
with a striped waist cloth, now came up to
us and asked us if we should like to see a
dance. He possessed four European chairs
Qor he was a great chief and we sat down
under the shade of beautiful cottonwood
and the dance began.
ring was formed Of boys of all sizes,
who, with their elbows draSn close to their
sides, walked slowly rohnd, twitching
every muscle of the body, while the women
and girls, forming an outer ring, stood
around clapping their hands to sort of
measure. This dance was curious, but
neither beautiful nor inspiriting.
A PRIMITIVE TELEPHONE.
Wewere next shown big wooden drum,
which Mr.. A called the Dualla tele-
phone, and he explained to us how by diff
ferent ways of beating it conversation
could be carried on by natives two miles
apart.
Just as we were about to go (for the sun
was setting, and we had to get down to the
river where our boat was waiting for us)
Mr.. A motioned to me to look at two
girls standing close by, one of whom was
doing something to the others eye with
what looked like sort of bodkin.
"She is taking out an eyelash," laughed
he. "Have you not noticed that none of
the Duallas have eyelashes2 They think
they destroy the sight, so they pluck out
the hairs as soon as they grow"
Crowds of people followed us to the
river, and | found it very mortifying to
my dignity to be snatched up and carried
to the boat like baby. Two other boat
men took Mr.. Ker and Mr. A on their
backs and carried them also on board, for
TO say nothing of the crocodiles, a chill in
west Africa means fever, and we had had
too much of that.
The natives, however, came wading out
by dozens, struggling to get the last shake
Of my hand, with the flattering compli
ment, "Now that we have seen the white
woman we can die contented. Mrs. David
Ker in Harper's Bazaar.
The Goods Sold Themselves.