New-York tribune., 1900-08-12
IN PYGHYLAND.

A MEETING BETWEEN A CHIEF OF THE
LITTLE PEOPLE AND a MISSIONARY.
From The Pail Mall Gazette.
An interesting account Of the pv4n7ias o< Cen
Ial Africa IS given by A. 3. Lloyd one of the
TIllfch T 9oclety's missionaries in his book In
D"dTI Land and Cdnnibal Country His first
interview with them took place in a clearing Of
the forest. While reading a book ne became
aware of number Of little faces peering al hin,
through the thicket. He held out his hands in
sign Of friendly greeting. Slowly and verv shvIv
pygmy advanced, stared al the vrbira mn IN
ahlazeInent and hid his face behind his hands
Other pygmies advanced behind their leader
now the says had a complete view Of my visi-
tors and what struck first of all was natu-
raIiy. the shortness Of their stature. But, al
though they were so very short-a bout four feet
by subsequent meaSurement-yet there was a
poNtttuHtsS apout their build that is not often
seen in African races. Broad chested with
muscles hnety developed short, thick neck and
small bullet head. the lower limbs were massive
and strong TO a degree. The chest was covered
with black, curly hair and most of the men wore
thick black boards Each carried either bow
and culver of arrows, CT short throwing spears.
Round their arms they wore iron rings and
some Of them had these around their necks also.
| chatted away to the little man who knew the
TcrO language, and l was very much amazed
at the smart way in which he answered nv
questions His knowledge of the language was
not perfect bY any means, and he often used
words that were strange TO me, and savored OF
Pygmyland vet he spoke sufficiently we'll for
me TO be able TO follow him.
The pygmy leader explained that his country
was seven days journey in length by six in
breadth. I next asked him the number of his
people, and he took piece of stick and broke
i up into little pieces, about forty in all. and
said that each piece represented a chief, and he
then went TO tell me the number OF followers
OF each, some had two hundred others only fifty,
and few many five hundred. It was
very simple then to calculate that the total num-
Der would be somewhere about ten thousand.
He told me that he knew long ago of my COM
ing, and asked him "HOW?' He said that sew
erai days ago ne Saw mer' 1 said.
When did you see me2" 7 have seen you in
the forest for six Gays" But I did not see
you l said and then he laughed most heartily
and said. No / could not see him, but ne saw
me-" Upon further inquiry I found that a large
party of these little creatures had been watch
ing our every movement all through the forest,
while we were IN the most blissful Ignorance Of
the fact At every camp they had lowered about
Us, peering al US through the thicket We
passed. Why did they not attack Us? is the
question that kept coming up into my mind. II
they are the thievish, wicked little people that
they have been represented. Why did they not
mOlest uS2 We we're entirely in their power and
had been for the last SIX days Perhaps il was
our very heiplessness that protected us-they
that not the other white
who had passed through their forest, armed
with guns. and having a big following Of SOL
diers: or perhaps had been overheard speaking
in the language Of TOrO to my boys and this had
given them confidence. I firmly believe, how
ever. that they arc not untrustworthy folk as
IS usually supposed but, like most Africans,
when not iuterfered with they perfectly
a rnlIeSS