The times., 1899-10-08

next town of Importance is Idah. 1t has
pagan population, but Mahometanism is
gaining ground in the neighborhood and,
indeed throughout the whole Igarra coun-
try, OF which Idah is the capital. Before
the advent of the Niger Company in the
Niger as an administrative body, spirits
used to be introduced by native middlemen
into Idah from European merchants set
tied in the rivers. When the Niger Com
parry obtained influence, however, and be-
gan to negotiate treaties with the Ma
hometan emirs in the north, the Sultan
of Sokoto who is the religious head OF the
Mahometans in Nigeria, objected TO spirits
being sold to the Igarras, among whom
Mahometan priests were working The
Niger Company very wisely agreed not to
do SO. and subsequently prohibited the i'm
portatlon OF spirits above the seventh par
allel But-and this shows how difficult it
is 10 eradicate the craving for gin among
heather tribes when once il has taken a
firm hoid-the Idah people have constant
ly given the company trouble because they
could no longer obtain the drink All the
gin which finds its way TO 1dah now is
smuggled.
Saved by the Tribes of Ibo.
/ Below the seventh parallel we enter upon
the real gin country-Assaba, onitsha,
II
pint bottles and rum in demijohns are sold
I in large quantities The people of these
/ towns belong TO the powerful and numer-
+ GUS Ibo tribe. From these towns gin ra-
i.diatess inland, until in some interior towns
gin Imported by the Niger Company and
giH. iHppEted by the merchants OF the Nj
4 geI4 Coast Prctectorate can be found in the
same market. The two streams of import
ed spirits. viz. that by way Of the Niger
7 River and that by way of the small rivers
/ and creeks of the delta, meet in these re-
gions- In tiis interior country gin Is
much sought after by the natives. A flint
Z lock gun or a soldiers red coyat are al
ways acceptable. but case of gin makes
! the heart glad Of a very big king
/ When he possesses the treasure he can
! take two or three of his wives, throw a
cloth around him, have a large log fire
made. and sit Literally on his fathers
/ grave and imbbe, while his admiring wives
squatting beside him toss off the spirit in
small calabashes. The King of Onitsshao-
I boo used TO do this when / knew him-sit
/ for hours and drink himself into a maudlin
condition in the company Of his devoted
4 spouses. Ii was a curious thing that the
4 king inevitably chose the site OF his faith
I er's grave Ia few cowrie shells stuck in
the ground marked the epot) Tor his drink
4 ing bouts In Abushi and Onitsha there is
gin everywhere. although the Church Mis-
sionary Society and the Roman Catholic
missions have tried TO fight against it. A
stroll through an ibo town induces reflec-
ton. Instead OF calabashes filed witt
/ yam. fish. and palm wine, which you OBJ
serve in villages that the gin e;rade has moi
yet tapped, the calabashes cohtein nothing
| Or next TO nothing but gin and rum. Tht
4 type Of nature. too. is altogether different
In remote villages he is. when you get Il
know him. free and easy, ard happy wItha
In his Own way. Here the signs OF drink
arc yisibIe at every turn. in bieary, palsied
| parched up LOOKING creatures, with the Gu