Washington sentinel., 1900-12-15
The PYGmies OF the Great Forest,

The PYgmies Of the Great Forest,
A very instructive article on
Pygmies is contributed by Mr..
Lydekker, in London RH01CIsdgE
for current month. This peculiar
race OF men live in the Upper
Congo forest, which is so vast that
one may journey through it tor
weeks without coming to the other
end. "In this perpetual gloom
live the Pygmies, the most dimin-
utiVe of the human inhabitants OF
the globe, Of whose existence there
have been more or less authentic
rumors since the time OF Herodo.
tus and Aristotle, but whose true
characteristic and mode Of life il
has been reserved for recent times
to disclose. In 1861,
DR.. Touchard records the destruc-
ton OF tribe of dwarfs, whom he
calls Akoa, in the interior Of the
Gabun; and states that an adult
who had been captured measured
only AZ feet in height, and had
comparatively short and rounded
head. In still more modern times.
when the interior OF the Dark Con-
tinent was being gradually opened
up, Stanley heard Of Pygmies,
whom he calls Watwas, in the
country within the great bend OF
the Congo, who hunted the lordly
elephant to death with poisoned
arrows, and whom he describes aJ
OF a chocolate.brown color. And
a DR.. Wolff refers to the members
Of the same or an allied tribe as
never exceeding 4 teet : inches,
and averaging four inches less in
height, But to the celebrated Ger
man traveller, DR.. Schweiniurth.
was reserved the honor Of first
making known to European sci
ence the Akkas OF the ancient
Egyptians, whom he trst met with
at the court of the ruler Of Nam
beCtu (Monbuttu), but whose home
is on the Aruwiwi, a tributary OF
the Upper Congo in about lat. 3
deg, N. aud long. as deg. E.
From the various accounts that
have been given Of their mode Of
life, it appears that Akkas, like
other African races OF pygmies,
live by the chase, using bows,
arrows and lances with great dex-
terity, and Staying such large ami
mails as elephants, buffaloes and
chimpanzees with comparative
ease. On account OF this dexteritY
in the use Of Weapons, as we'll as
from their skill in hunting, their
great bodily activity, and their
peTs nal courage, they are much
esteemed as soldiers by the negro
tribes among whom they dwell,
and whom they frequently serve
as mercenaries. In other respects
they appsar, however, to avoid
their neighbors, living IN commu.
mites by themselves in tribal divis.
ions, each Of which has its own
chief or king. No protection
against cold being necessary in the
tropical climate OF equatorial
Africa, most Of them 60 about
completely naked, those men who
wear any covering at all being
generally content with a piece OF
beaten bark suspended round the
waist, while the women have only
two or three leaves. No orna.
ments OF any kind are worn by the
former, while the latter do not
pierce their ears. Although they
are superior to Australiansin in being
acquainted with the mode OF OBJ
tanning fire, yet they are by no
means skiliul in the operation, and
they are accordingly in the habit
Of keeping trunks Of fallen timber
smouldering in certain suitable
locations, to which the members
Ol the tribe can repair when they
require light. Each family man.
ages its own affairs, and wives are
purchased from their fathers Tor
the consideration OF a certain
number Of arrowa Unlike the
Negroes, these people are entirely
Tree from superstitions oil every
kind, so that there are no witch
doctors nor sorcerers among them;
even the widely spread dread OF
the "evil eye" being, according to
Major Casati, unknown among
them. Judging from the circum-
stance that they bury their dead
on the spot where they expire,
without any ceremony and with
no monument, it would seem, too,
that they have little 1t any eoncep-
ton OF a future existence or OF a
divine ruler OF the world.
MosT SUPERB DAY TRAIN IN THE
WORLD. The Royal Limited leaves
Baltimore & Ohio r, r. Station, New
Jersey Avenue and e Streets, daily, I
d m arrives New York 8 % M. Snlendid