The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-15

IN A LAND OF PIGMIEs.
A Meeting Between Their Chief and
IA Missionary.
CFrom the Pal Nall Gazette.)

a
An interesting account of the pigmies of
Central Africa is given by A. B. Lloyd,
one Of the Church Society's missionaries,
in his book, I'm Dwarf Land and Canni-
bal Country" His first interview with
them took place III clearing of the for
est While reading a book he became
aware of a number OF little faces peering
at him through the thieket. He held out
his HANDS in sign of friendly greeting.
Slowly and very shyly pigmy advanced,
stared at the white man in amaZement,
and hid his face behind his hands. Other
pigmies advanced behind their leader.
now (he says had a, complete view OF my
visitors and what struck me first OF all
was, naturally, the shortness OF their
stature. But, although they We're very
ehort-about four feet by subsequent
measurement-yet there was a powerful
ness about their build that is not often
seen in African races. Broad-chested, with
muscles finely developed, short, thick mex,
and small bullet head. the lower limbs
we're 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 or 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 Toro language, and l
was very much amazed at the smart way
in which he answered my questions. His
knowledge OF the language was not per-
feet by any means, and he often used
words that were strange to me, and sa-
vored of pigmyland, yet he spoke suff-
GENTLY 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. l next asked him the
naImber OF his people. and he took a piece
OF stick and broke it up into little pieces.
about forty in all. and said that each piece
represented chief, and he then went on
to tell me tive number Of followers of each;
some had .wo hundred. others only fifty
and few as many as five hundred. 1t was
very simple then to calculate that the total
number would be somewhere about ten
thousand.
He told me that he know long ago of my
coming, and | asked him 'How?'' He said
that several days ago he saw mt Saw
me-" / said. when did you see me 80 L
have seen you "a the forest for six days
But | did not see you, - / said, and then
he laughed most heartily and said: mo,
could not see him. but he saw me-" Upon
further enquiry l found that a large party
of these little creatures had been watching
our every movement all through the for
est while we ere in the most blissful ig-
norance of the fact. At every camp they
had lowered about us. peering at MS
through the thicket as 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 modest us? We were entirely in
their power and had been for the last six
days. Perhaps it was our very helpless
ness that protected 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 SOL
diers; or perhaps / had been overheard
speaking in the language of Toro to my
boys. and this had given them confidence.
! firmly believe. however, that they are not
untrustworthy folk, as is usually supposed,
but. like most Africans. when not inter
feerd with they are perfectly harmless.