The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
The Tribes OF American Negroes.

jude EMORY SPEER Of Georgia says the
Sout 800 people have observed great diff
ferences in the negroes among them, due
doubtless to differences in tribal descent.
Some OF them spring from the more de-
graded African tribes and others from
gentle and manly races whose descendants
in this country deserve the confidence and
good will OF their neighbors.
The truth Of this generalization cannot be
questioned. Many OF the descendants OF
unwilling emigrants from Africa still show
marked characteristics OF the people whence
they 'tprang. Explorers have told us OF
noteworthy differences among the various
tribes. The linguistic differences are marked
SO clearly that We may accept tho fifth
degree of north latitude roughly speaking,
as the boundary line between the two great
divisions OF the negro family, the Soudan
negroes living north and the Bantu negroes
south Of that line. There are also many
minor differences among the negro groups
in color, physiognomy, occupation and char
acter. Some live by the chase, some by
tillage. while others are herders. Some are
far more advanced than others in the arts
such as iron and pottery making, carving
and hut-building Some are naturally fero-
cious and warlike while others are peaceful.
There are undoubtedly in the United
States thousands OF descendants OF the
Foulahs who are widely scattered over the
western Soudan, are not clasScd among the
negro races, to most Of which they Are
superior, and are noted for their intelli-
gence and enterprise. Capt. CANoT, who
was a SLAYER from 1929 to 1s4e, testified
that the Foulah tribes were prolific
source Of slaves He also told OF carrying
"choice cargoes OF Mandingoes" to Havana.
whore these light-colored and very intelli-
gent men and women were in great do
mand among the wealthy as house SER
wants. Other traders have recorded the
fact that the treatment given to their
human cargoes depended upon the nature
Of the freight. Slavers loading ON the An
COLA coast, for example, would not think of
putting irons on the slaves, who were of a
mild and gentle nature, and revolt among
them was almost unknown. But slaves
embarked north OF the Gold Coast were
guarded with great vigilance, for they were
"treacherous DEVILS" and instances were
known where they overpowered and killed
the crew and ran the ship ashore before
1t had got out OF African waters.
Very few cargoes Of slaves were shipped
to this country or the West Indies |
from south Of the latitude Of Gaboon.
The reason for this fact Is interest
esting. The slave trade, like any other
branch OF commerce, followed the direct |
route to the nearest good markets. Enor- |
nous supplies OF slaves were collected |
along the West African coast from Cape |
Verde TO Gaboon, and the nearest good mar |
kets for this source OF supply were found |
In the West Indies and along our Atlantic |
and Gulf coasts south of Chesapeake Bay.
This is the chief reason why we see in |
North America comparatively few repre-
sentatives Of the great Bantu division OF
the negro race. The Congo and Angola
coast and the Zambesi region OF East Afrl
ca, the chief shipping points for slaves OF
Bantu origin, were far nearer to the ports
OF Brazil and the Guianas than to the West
Indies or our southern ports, and 30 the
south equatorial negroes were taken to the
equatorial parts OF America.
Stlll some slaves even from East Africa
were brought to North America. Cant
CANoT, for instance, doubled tho Cape OF
Good Hope and got cargo Of 500 negroes
at Qullimane, near the mouth OF the Fam
best, and he saw in that port fourteen Bra
lillian and Portuguese slavers taking on
cargoes for South America. considerable
number OF the slaves first introduced into
the colony of Massachusetts It's came from Mad
agasoar 1t is quite certain, however, that
nlne-tenths OF the slaves brought to this
country came from the triangular region