Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-24

own daughters for cattle. His wives, Of
whom he has as many as he can get, are
Zsimply slaves. The chief faith Of the
Zulus is in witchcraft. COLLINS to be fear
ed and appeased, and in ancestral spirits
to be worshipped. They use charms and
exorcisms: the witch doctor. who is sup
posed to discern evil spirits, has great
power over the people.
The mission OF the American Board.
the first among the Zulus-was begun in
1885, when the people were 5avage, with
out any sign of civilization, their Ian
guage unwritten and unknown. Natal
may be called civilized. except in some
sections. Houses have taken the place
of kraals. Polygamy is frowned upon,
and the Zulus have discovered tina a
plough is worth more han six wives"
Mr.. and Mrs. Frederick b. Bridgman
were assigned to Infume Station. in South
Africa, in August. They report that the
kfaals are still eXtant: the work involves
great ~self-sacrifice and hardship, includ-
ing, since the beginning of the war, an
increase in the price of provisions. In a
recent letter Mrs. Bridglnan wrote:
A knock at my kitchen door revealed a
young girl with a palm leaf basket OF
sweet potatoes safely poised on her head.
l recognized her as one who lad strayed
into my Sunday school several times,
payly decked in beaded This
particular morning she had come from
her garden to exchange the potatoes for
salt, and she looked picturesque enough.
with a broad strip Of red cloth edged with
blu beads wound under one arm and
over the opposite shoulder. falling in
scant folds to the knee. Her hair was
braided in a score of tiny strands, tied
with straw, radiated from her shapely
head like so many lorcupine qulls. 1 ran
for the camera, but the moment she
caught sight of 1t she began to back
away, pleading not be taken that norm
ing. oh, no; not to-day; just see, 1 am
not dressed for a picture. Please let me
go and I will come back Tomorrow"
The natives are superstitious regarding
Photography. However, Nomakosi came
pack the next afternoon, app airing sud
denly, at. the door in gorgeous array. The
hair which had lbesn SO carefully plated
was now a woclly coronet, and the rich
brown of her throat and arms was hidden
by a mass of beaded finery. / noticed
her bridal skirt of heavy skins. and ask
ca hef where she was gong. "Io a we'd
cling. and please hurry and finish the pic
ture. as the young men and girls are
waiting dow the Dad for me-"
SHE expected me to open the back of
the camera and hand her the finished
photograph. Afterward I found that
paratory to her own wedding; the mar
riage festivities beginning several days
'hefere the final grand dance and OK
slaughter. Nomakosi has no idea of her
age. for Zulu mothers cannot count the
years. She is probably about seventeen,
and her life up to this time has been typi-
cal OF the average heather girl.
OF a visit to this home Mrs. Bridge
man said: THE Kraal is parched on a
~treeless knoll, with a background of roll
ing hills and above the cloudless blue Of
our Natal SKY. Yelping dogs and a troop
Of boys and girls, quite innocent of cloth
inss. now came running out to meet us.
All wa n1riof Vonyx, Within tI,o fa,-, L,,&
but soon heads began to pop out here
and there. and mothers, partially dress
ed in blankets. With their babies tied to
their backs, came crawling out of the low
doors. followed by children Of all sizes.
They gathered AROUND us with the usual
greeting: "Sa ku bona,'' owe saw you'')
and their smiles and looks Of curious in
teiest showed that they were pleased to-,
see US. We did not see the little bride,
for she had gone to. live with her hus-
bands family. We had to stoop very low
and crawl in on our hands and knees. In
a moment our eyes became accustomed to
the dim. smoky light, n we saw the head
seated on a mat before the little
hearth in the center. Two or three
grown sons were spraying around, smok-
native hemp, which approaches opium
in it's INJURIOUS effects.
Regarding their attire there is but little
to say, for a few ornaments on the neck
and arms and long thick fringes of mon
key tails around their waists complete
seems to them a stylish costume.
We were given blocks of wood about six
inches square on which to try and make
ourselves comfortable. while one by one
the members Of this large family enter
ed and seated themselves in a circle !
around the huge pot of boiling Kanir
corn.
This hut is the best furnished of the
fnl1,. lNn1nao ino fn fhn 1opJ 80 l. o,...,..
of the three wives occupies a hut
with her respective children, and takes
turns waiting upon her master. Rudely
spoons. spears and knobkerries
thrust overhead into the smoke be-
grimmed thatch, from which are sus-
pended shields, dried skins and punches of
dried ears of corn. A kettle or two, some
gourds filled with native beer. enor-
clay water jars, grass mats. a few
grilny blankets. and the list of furnishings
is complete. This had been Nomakosi's
home. AS soon as she grew strong enough
to Climb down into the valley where the
are she was sent along with her
and sisters to drive off the birds
and the monkey which made havoc with
the corn and beans. Soon she was made
nurse girl to the newest baby, and used
to trot around all day with the little crea-
ture strapped tightly to her back, it's Door
little head bouncing up and down. like a |
ball.
At about ten years she was considered
old enough to WELD the hoe, and before !
long she had a little garden of her own.
Every girl has a patch of ground all her
own. and there is considerable rivalry be-
tween sisters Of the same kraal. All the |
girls make a great many ornaments, belts
and collars for the various young men of
their acquaintance. The mark of popu-
larity among the u men is the guam
tity of their beadwork presents.
1t Is an unheard OF calamity for a Zulu
be a bachelor or spinster. To be mar
ried early and we'll is the one ambition of
every boy and girl. Happy the father
who has a dozen daughters! Each one of
them used to mean ten head of cattle.
Now that the rinderpest has swept the