The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-05-16
SAVAGES WHO ARE CIVILIZED
African Natives Who HBve q Notion Of til,
Arts and Scienccs,

oNSSS.S WIN ATE CIVILIZED
African Natives Who Hsve Notion of til,
Arts and Scioncca.
Most people think of tho natives Of
tropical Africa as naked savages, with
out any of tho resources of civilization,
said an ex-missionnry. But the fact is
that many Of tho tribes arc acquainted
with not few of the mechanical arts.
Hou are probably aware that the
mining and working of iron have been
understood by the natives of that part
o! the world ever since prehistoric
times. In Liberia tho Mando are
smelters OF iron and workers in gold
"no silver. They arc also tanners Of
te"ther and weavers Of cloth, and they
make an infinite variety of domestic
efVcles Tho Makolos are excellent
wood carvers, tho Djours arc slSillful
iron workers, and tho Bechuanas are
good metal workers, fur dresscrs and
architeots '''
The Baganidas, of Victoria Nyanza,
90 beautiful work In brass, copper und
ivory. On tho slave coast tho people
OF Dahomey, who otherwise possess An
unenviable reputation, are accorded q
worry respectable position IN Industrial
artisenship. Glass making is not known
among them. They make cloths OF
cotton and many other textiles, and
their dyes Of blue, red md yellow owe
thoir peculiar riohness to native color
Ing aubatances. Tanning they also un-
derstand, and they obtain salt from
sea water by evaporation.
Among the tributaries Of tho White
Nue at Sahara and Benghioh the tribes
oval faces and silky hair. In Dahomcy
public prostitutes were licensed and
the proceeds Of the tax paid into the
public treasury long before the prac-
tlce was adopted by modern log u
lures and considered as n radical de-
partnre In modern civilization. Lord
Beaconsfield said Of tho Zulus: "rhey
have outwitted our diplomats, outna-
neuvered our generals, and converted
our missionaries, and yet we call them
saveges."
Tho Mandegnas have attained n con-
siderable degree of cultivation and
knowledge Of the common arts. Their
musical instruments are tho flute,
harp, bell and drum The Veis OF
Liberia having obtained an acquaint-
ance with letters from contact with
Arabs. have invented nm alphabet
primer OF their own language, orig
tnal and independent both of the Ara-
bio and English characters. This Is
the greatest effort over made by an
African tribe toward the advancement
of culture. The Veis make pens of
reeds and use indigo for ink.
Africa Is destined before long to
become the great gold producing con-
tinent of the world. In 1889 1T yielded
$s,600,OOo worth Of that metal, Last
year it produced about $.5, 900, o0C
worth Of gold. During 1894 tho out
put of It's gold mines is likely TO cqua
the $3.50, 900, 900 produced by tho United
States.
The total expectation of diamond.
from the Cape Of Good Hope, from the
date of their discovery to the present,
has probably exceeded $3.50, 600, 600.
The annual expenditure in the digpinu
for the gems is now SIS, 600, 900, and tho
export is limited to 4 500, 900 Of carats
annually, to prevent n depreciation in
price. Tho Orange Free State has re-
gently given to the world the largest
known diamond, weighing in the rough
970 carats, and likely to weigh when
cut 500 carats.
The rum of the white man is a curse
to the natives of Africa 1t Is esti-
mated that 10, 600, 900 gallons of spirits
are annually imported into tho dark
continent.-BostOn Herald