The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-23
PYGMIEs OF TODAY.
Their Existence Suggests the Origin of Legends About Gnomes, Cob
 lins, Elves and Broweries.

London Stndard
 Writing on ''rhe Pygmies and the Ape like Men of the Uganda Borderland." in the Pal Mall Magazine. Sir Harry Johnston gives inal- rect support to an Idea which lately has beer been occasionally mooted among students of folk lore. Have the stories, often so curlously CIT cumstantial and told in so many languages; about gnornes and kobolds, goblins, elves and brownies any substantial foundation2 May not these beings-sometimes mans help. some times his plague-be the legendary survlvais is of an almost exterminated race2 There IS some significance in the frequent association of such tales with the milder and less ac- cessible regions-with the mountain districts of Wales and the Highlands, with rocky moorlands,) like Cornwall and Brittany; with insulated lands such as Ireland: or with for est clad hills. like many parts of Central Ger many. Little is known of the earliest inhabi tants of Europe-the oldest race of the second influx. But. though the first of the people who used weapons of smocthed stone were certainly rather small in stature. they would be giants compared with tho gnome or the brownie They were not the fitst corners. how. ever. and they have predecessors of still more eifsh race. Maiy rock shelter has as Aeschyius tells us. ''dwelt like tiny ant in sunless hooks of caves To these the stronger invaders woula at hfst show no pity. in the principle of wide application. and things might ultimately settle down, and sor; tain parts of Europe-so long as the weaker party behaved itself fairly well. These pyg- mics and ape-like men, whom Sir Henry Jonston had good opportunities of studying exhibit some characteristics which curiously recall the creatures of fairy legends me vast Congo forest region is naturally fitted to be a refuge for the remnants of an ancien race-thosc who, elsewhere sheltered in wastes rocks would find shelter in it's almost i'm penetrable recesses, like the anthropoid ape and the Okapi. Sir Harry Johnston think these pygmies represent the first type of tn negro-a similar dwarf race which can be traced to other eOuntries-and one of its on shoots. perhaps the lighter-colored one. may even have oversprcad Europe in a far distan age. The lowest type of the Congo pygmlei have deep-set eyes, overhanging brows. prog nathous jaws, and weak chins The body r. covered-and this is common feature anon the pygmes-with a fine down, like the frs hair on baby's head Other types arc les simian in aspect. They build rude huts witt branches and make bows and arrows Wher have apparently borrowed even their rudi mentary covering. as they have adapted thei language. from the neghboring native tribes indeed such elements of civilization as the possess appear not to be indigenous
 They are slngularly elf-like in their habits very averse to being seen. distrustful. and a cunning in hiding themselves as many vii animals. In the forest they may be on a to show themselves. not a glimpse of ther will he obtain. When he gets to know them he will find more than one type among them but all delight in singing and quaint dances Whether they make good or bad neighbors the ordinary black people depends. we al told. entirely on how thev are treated. Tn banana groves and plots of maize or tobac.' tempt them the apple orchard does ti schoolboy; but if their pfifer, gifts of fa" behind in their nightly visitatons gifts ff",' their hunting, such as meat. skins. or iNnt, The native tribes accuse them of occasional stealing children to bring up among then selves and of leaving their ape il brats in exchange Some mixture of the |" races certainly seems to have occasionally '" fuil.sized husbandJ Certainly these ancior tribes offer many points of resemblance to tl we must not forget that the industrlou brownie often went naked.