Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-06-23
Hoods Pills cure sick headache. 25c.
PEOPLE OF KAFiafsTAN.

soon Ee puDl1Sned by order or the sec retary of state for India, contains m interesting account Of a country and people in regard to which hardly any. thing was known beyond vague sug- misc and information derived from na- tive travellers, until he was enabled, at the risk of his life, to penetrate within its outer walls. Speaking of the gen. eral characteristics of the Kafrs, he writes:
 Civilization abruptly fell asleep centuries ago in Katiristan, and is still dormant. conquering race may pro- gress in the arts and in civilization, as it progresses and exeels in war-like skill. But not so an isolated people like the Kafrs They have degener- ated until their tribal headquarters are merely robbers nests. In the va- rious s5ifts and expedients to which they have been forced in order to pre- serve their freedom and their lives, ly- ing, running away and sanaerhand vices have been particularly servicea- ble. Tn their mode of warfare no spark of chivalry is possible. The si- lent watcher, his face protruding from a thiclet, his wild eyes glancing swiftly and fearfully around, or the 1.-the form wriggling like a snake along the ground to stab his sleeping enemy, man, woman or child-these are the pictures which arise in my mind when l think of Kafr braves; not because this illustrates the sole method of warfare employed, but be- cause continued intercourse with the people and observation of their silent, stealthy gait and shifty faces taught me what are the most popular methods of attack.
 Little parties of two or three will stealthily penetrate many miles into an enemy's country where they would be at once killed if caught. They will creep into forts and villages during the night, stab right and 1eft and then fly to their own hills with q hue and cry after them. In view of the inferior nature of their weapons they achieve wonders. The extreme difficulties which the country presents to an in- vader has, no doubt, much to do with their being able to maintain their in- dependence; but the chief reason, after all, is the galiantry, the reckless brav- cry and devotion with which the Kafirs defend themselves or carry any war into the enemy's country. It is curious to notice the almost slperstitious fear the Kafirs have of rifles feeling gen- erated by ignorance. On one occasion a successful raiding party on it's way home was crowded round me on hill slope. There were about one hundred men present. To amuse them l opened the breech of my express rifle. The instant l did so many of them dived down the hill side from abjeet fear os what was about to happen.
 "A Kafr parliament is strange sight. The clamor is wonderful. A
 Sozen men, perhaps, try to speak at once; each has his own little group of l listeners, whose attention, if it wan ders, he seeks to retain by loud ejacu- lation of 'ai, aii' or by little polxes in the ribs with his walking club. If some very exciting topic is being dIs- cussed, perhaps, all are takers and none are listeners; but, as a rule, when one of the tribal orators begins to speak, he gets the attention of the greater part of the assembly, his efforts
 being helped by the shouted illustra-
 trations or further arguments by one
 or two of his admiring friends. Kafirs
 love to argue among themselves to de- eide on some definite line of action.
 Singly, they are often reasonable, but when they go off in a mob to the danc- | ing platform, or group themselves un- der tree and begin excited discus-
 sions, it is practically impossible to
 foretell what they will decide. More
 over, the discussion arrived at on one day is quite likely to be rescinded on l the next day, and reverted to on the
 third But such occurrences are ex- ceptional, and only happen when the people laboring under strong excite-
 ment on some subject, such as pros
 pect of gain. "-London Standard. 1 Valuable Bookmarlxcrs In Old Books. l It is told of Xavier Marmier that he one day discovered a one thousand franc note between the leaves of a book which he had picked up for few sous at street stall. A similar, but
 much more marvellous, adventure has
 happened to young doctor in Turin.
 While turning over the leaves of book
 which had been bequeathed along with
 others to the medical faculty of Turin
 by a certain Dr. Giordan, he was as.
 tonished to find between the pages no
 less than forty bank notes, amounting
 to the handsome sum of forty thousand
 lire. This incident will no doubt give
 rise to most interesting case in the
 Turin courts. Although Dr. Giordani
 undoubtedly bequeathed his books to
 the library of the faculty, his other