Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-19
DAY on shore, No. n.

before Prince Billy had gone to France
to see the world and to be seen and
petted, patted ON the back, filled up
with French brandy, dressed to kill,
MADE to believe that he was necessary
to the existence Of France and her
future welfare and to have good time
generally. Prince Billy had been
brought back to his native land. he
had not grown taller-five feet, four,
being all the loftiness there was 10
him. There was enough of him, now
ever, could he have been hammered
into proper proportions, for his breaotn
of beam was something enormous anu
his protuberant stomach limited Loudly
of hot suppers and frequent internal APP
plications of "eau de vie. Prince
Billy had. however, returned to ms peo-
ple and brought with him SLICK look
ing stove pipe chapeau,a swallow talieu
coat and patent leather boots. all OF
which he wore when he landed among
his devoted subjects; who escorted
him to a pretentious hut, surrounded
nv banana and plantain trees. The
formal reception was for the afternoon
and as Billy appeared and assembled
pIatform built several feet from the
sneak to his people, he was different
looking party from the dapper' broad
clothed. colored dude of the morning.
The color was still there, III fact ne
was all color, even to the red bandan-
ma tied about his waist and this was all
the suit he wore, and he wore II pc
cause it suited his people that he should
wear it and nothing more. His rotund
carcass shone like modern chocolate
drop polished to perfection. Prince
Billy made his little harangue, which
was gruntingly accepted by an hun
bred stalwart chaps that sat around
the platform in a semi-circle, each
armed with a spear, and as looked
them over l did not see man that
would trust myself with, against two
fazza cloutee."
We strolled through the painless
forests stirring up clouds of butterflies
Butterflies, white, jet black, yellow,
red, half a dozen shades of each, as
many more of olive green, butterflies
spotted, striped, variegated, one color
blending into another, the air full of
them, until we were surrounded by Il
living Kaleidoscope exhibiting varie-
ty of ever changing shades and hues
almost indescribable. Hundreds of liz
ards. four or five inches in length,
skurried for their holes at our approach,
and blinked theirred eyes as we passed.
Wonderously plumaged parokets
tapped their short wings and screamed
defiance as they huttered from tree to
tree. The woods were alive.
Half a mile from the beach we found
DO Il md ar s.h11I1naly' G
milk" This was produced in a shall
low callabash, where it had been placed
after scalding to keep from souring.
The scum was thick and leathery but
the fluid beneath was delicious and
soon disposed of leaving the afore-
mentioned scum at the bottom of the
callabash. A little naked year old got
possession of the dish and in his gyra-
tious to sip the last drop, tipped the
callabash over his head leaving this
leathery protection from heat snugly
fitted over his little black pate, like a
yellowish wig made to order.
Of money the Madagascar has nc
idea If he should wish to manufac-
ture some ornament, and a half dollar
was large enough for his purpose, he
would give more for the "littee dollar
than for a large one. l purchased a
spear offering a Mexican dollar for it.
The fellow shook his head, No, me
wantee littee dollar and l got it for q
rupee or two shilling piece. They dis
play considerable skill in making rings
for the arm or ankle out of coin of
large sizes, such as the English crown
the French five frame piece Mexican
and Spanish dollars. Smaller silver
coins, ten cent pieces and rials, they
string together and wear around Their
brown necks as a charm, nor would
they part with them at any price.
Darning needles will purchase shells
and every family living near the shore
have always a supply on hand, buried
in the ground near their dwellings
ready to exchange. Bull nantes, sill
yer lips, spiders. cowries, leopards
harps and many smaller varieties, will
be produced at short notice if the
"needlee" is forthcoming, and exchange
can be made at the rate of one needle
for one large shell and another needle
for quart of smaller ones. They keel
count very much as the fellow" die
that was sent to count hoop-poles
There's one pole, there's another
pole, and there's another" and so on
To trade ten needles for ten shells
would be beyond the mathematical
ability of the average native if this
island,
The hair of the women deserves more
than passing notice; long. black and
sometimes wavy from the forehead tC
its very tips. 1t is usually worn hang
ing down the back, loose and in i'm
mense quantities, oftentimes reaching
below the knee. In doing up the hail
these native women are artistic to q
degree, each having style of her own
and not following any fashion set by
the tour ca ones. One woman will put
all her hair on the top of her head, in
one huge tightly rolled bundle, another
does it up in half dozen lunches each
as large as your fist the first one Just
over her forehead. The other in a row
to the back of her neck another mas a
row of hobs over hcr head from ear
to ear. each the size of a goodly apple
while still another has her head
covered all over with punches Of hail
OF all sizes. Now to make everything
complete, these fair daughters of the
Mozambique channel rub into theii
hair plentiful supply of tallow. and
after doing it UP. rub more tallow or
the outside until the head. knobs and
hobs of hair are saturated with "bul-
nS.ay hot