The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-04
DRUMMING THE NEWS,
Curious Method of south African Ma
tiVes In sprending Information.
From the New York Herald

tANCH IN information.
From the New York Herald.
Much surprise has been expressed at the
quickness with which the natives of South
Afrfta have learned the results of the re-
cent battles between the Beers and Brit
ish. These natives know nothing of our
method of telegraphing, and yet, when vic
tory has been declared for either of the
contending parties the news has been
flashed with amazing celebrity to remote
parts of the country. The manner in
which the news is carried is novel and
most interesting. Throughout Africa the
natives are expert in the use of what is
known as the drum language, and they
use it as We use the telegraph and the
telephone, namely, for the purpose of
sending a message from one place to au-
other.
The most important events, as well az
the daily occurrences in every village are
transmitted in this way In the Congo
region, near Stanley Falls, some Of the
natives are so skilled in the use of the
drums that they can carry on a CONVEX
satiOn with one another at 4 great dis
ance, just as easily as though they were
standing side by side. The chiefs or head
men of the various tribes converse daily
in this fashion, and thus each quickly
learns what has occurred in the surround
ing districts during the past twent-four
hours. The drum used for this purpose is
fashioned as a rule, out of a hollow tree
trunk. which is covered with the skin of
an antelope
In regard to the quickness with which
news is transmitted in Africa, Peter de
Deken. the famous traveller, tels two
good stories. While Inspector Five was
in control of the station at Basoko he Wis
tied one day a distant outpost and found
that it would be impossible for him to
reach home until late at night. AS he
looked forward to a hearty dinner he re-
uuested a head man. who was with him
and who was an expert drummer, to send
word to the station, several miles away.
that dinner was not to be served until he
returned. The head man drummed,
straightway another drummer repeated
mis- message, and so the news was flashed
from point to point until at reached
the distant point When Five reached home
at night he found the table lad and The
dinner ready to be served. This was the
message his servants had received: The
Bula Matori Governor or Inspector VIII
be home late in the evening. Don't eat
everything up
Mistakes are sometimes made in tele-
graphing and telepfloning, and Peter de
blunder also in using the drum language.
This same Five took several photographs
during his stay at Basoko, and on the day
Of his departure the thought struck him
that # would be well to take photograph
of all hose natives who from time to time
had acted as his domestic servants. Ac-
cordingly he ordered "A drummer to notify
them that they were to appear before him
at n certain hour in their holidays clothes
The drummer at once sent a message but
what was Five's surprise to find at the ap-
nointed hour not mis- servants, but all the
nolice of the station draw up in front OF
his residence The drummer it seems had
either misunderstood Five or had blum,
dered in sending the message Instead OF
snmmoning domestic servants he had sum-
moned state servants.
II is in the evening and at night when
deem silence reigns in NE African woods
and villages. that the drum language ls
heard at it's best Then for hours the
drunrners of each village converse WIN
one another. and long before dawn me
news which one communicates may De
known to his fellows hundreds of miles
away.
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