The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-18
IN PYGNYLAND.
rT'rom the Pail Nan Gazette.1

rT'rom the Pail Mall Gazette1
An interesting account of the pygrnies of
Central Africa Is given by A B. Lloyd,
one of the Church Society's missionaries
in his book In Dwarf Land and Can
nibal Country" His first interview with
them took place in a clearing of the for
est. While reading a book he became
aware of g. number of little faces peering
at him through the thicket. He held out
his hands in sign of friendly greeting.
Slowly and very shyly pygmy advanced,
started at the white man in amazement
and hid his face behind his hands. Other
pygmies advanced behind their leader. I
now Che says) had complete view of
all was, naturally, the shortness of their
stature But, although they were very
measurement-ye there was a powerful
ness about their build that is not often
with muscles finely developed, short, thick
neck, and small bullet head, the lower
limbs were massive and strong to de-
gree. The chest was covered with black,
curly hair, and most of the men wore
thick, heavy boards. Each carried either
bow and culver of arrows short throw
ing spears. Around 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 Toro Ian
guage, and I was very much amazed at
the smart way in which he answered my
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 yet he
spoke sufficiently well 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 it up into
little pieces, about 40 in all, and said that
each piece represented q chief, and he
then went on te tell me the number of
followers of each, some had 200, others
only so, and few as many as 500 1t was
very simple then to calculate that the
total number would be somewhere about
10000.
He told me that he knew long ago of
my coming, and I asked him ''How?' He
said that several days ago he saw me.
Saw me.' 1 said when did you see
six days" But I did not see you
said, and then he laughed most heartily
and said. mo, could not. him, but
he saw me-" Upon further inquiry
creatures had been watching our every
movement all through the forest, while
were in the most blissful ignorance of
the fact. AT every camp they had lowered
thicl1et as we passed. Why did they not
attack us? is the question that kept COM
ing into my mind. If they are the thiev-
ish, wicked little people that they have
been represented, why did they not modest
us? We were entirely in their power and
had been for the last six days. Perhaps
it very helplessnesS that pro-
tected us-they saw that we were not as
the other white men who had passed
through their forest, armed with guns,
and having a big following of soldiers; or
perhaps I had been overheard speaking in
the language of Toro to my boys, and this
had given them confidence. 1 firmly be- |
lieve, however, that they are not untrust- |
worthy folk, as is usually supposed but |
like most Africans, when not interefered /
with they are perfectly harmless.