The San Francisco call., 1904-02-14
BY WILLIAM STAMPS CHERRY,
lAfricsn Traveller, explorer and big game
hunter.)

3 u 4As--AAAl G4<AlAAC H1A1-e-N@r
lAtrican Traveller, explorer and big game
hunter)
Copyright. 1904 by Joseph 3. Bowles)
The unwritten laws Of the natives
are very clearly defined, and they are
very strictly enforced. They are a tri-
Ge severe. but they serve their end. The
native is a born lawyer. He can follow
an intricate argument, keeping all the
points in his mind, and weighing them
in a judicial spirit, but he is fond OF
oratory, and is apt to be swept off his
feet for the moment by the speech OF
an eloquent advocate. When among
The Ingino on the Sanga River l hap
pened 70 enter one Of their principal
villages as a trial for adultery was go
ing on, and the people bottled up their
curiosity at the advent of the white
man until the trial was finished. The
courthouse was a building erected
across the main street Of the village,
and was used as q sort of clubhouse or
common loafng place for the men. it
was built Of logs set in the ground and
overlapping each other in an artistic
manner. It was very strongly built,
and was evidently meant 10 be the cit
duEl CT lflE Adlld[G III AllC EN CAAA u Oil
attack All the people of the village
were. present at the trial The accused
parties were bound from head to foot.
wrapped with cords like an Egyptian
mummy and lay upon their backs be-
fore the judges. The woman under
trial was the wife Of a prince named
Ingol1o. Ingoko was the prosecutor
As he commenced his speech he held in
his hand twelve sticks about the size OF
a lead pencil. He was an eloquent
speaker and had the people laughing
and gnashing their teeth by turns.
Sometimes he would pause and ask
questions Of those who seemed to be
witnesses. Whenever he scored a point,
with the consent Of the judges and also
or the people. who were the jury in the
case. he placed one Of the sticks in a
basket. When the last stick was de-
posted in the basket the captives be-
gan 10 howl, for they knew that the
verdict had gone against them If the
people had not been satisfied on any
point they would not have permitted
the prosecutor to lay down a stick, and
Ill was understood that if fewer than
six sticks had been deposited the pris-
oners would have been acquitted
When we asked the pepole what they
were going TO do with the prisoners,
one of them answered by drawing a
knife across his throat Efforts were
made TO secure their release, but all
that could be done was TO get a stay of
proceedings. On our return few days
after we could hear nothing about
them.
When at the village Of Mbany. son
Of Bangassou, was eye witness to
another trial II was about woman.
as nearly al African trials are. In
This case there had been a love affair
between a chiefs daughter and a man
OF low degree. The daughter had been
given TO Eayanzy, a small M'Sacklaw
chief, and her lover had followed her
% her new home. They were too
friendly TO suit the chief He accused
his wife Of unfaithfulness; the poison
was given to a chicken, and the chicken
died; so il was the lovers turn to
take the poison. But the father Of the
woman happened to be in favor with
Mbally and got the case tried before
MIN as Supreme Judge. All the people
turned out TO the trial in their best
fig leaf dresses and were bent on hav-
ing holiday, although two lives were
~ stake. They commenced the day by
beating on a tom-tom drum, which ex-
ercise was interrupted by copious togo
drinking. When the revel was over
Mbally took his seat in the judicial
chair in q large open square. The
friends Of the accused ranged them
cr1y-ac in eero 70 n e-ro,,y.e
ing one another. The discussion was
opened by the outraged husband. lie
was slow OF speech and sat when
speaking. He would utter a sentence
and then wait for a minute to gather
his thoughts. His speech was not very
effective from an oratoricai point of
view. When he was through AIbally
smoked and drank togo The father
Of the woman whom the chicken had
proved fsithless' next spoke He was
an orator and it was manifest from
the affirmative grunts which his speech
elected that he carried his audience
with him. Mbally asked a few oues-
lions, after which the lover made his
defense. He knew that he was plead-
ing Tor his life. and whether If was
love or fear that loosened his tongue
he spoke well. After he had finished
Mbally asked time 70 digest the argu-
facnts presented on both sides, which
Ee doubtless did when taking a nan
ia sleep OF the effects of excessive togo
drinking. lie promised to- announce his
verdict iatcr, bat it was. clear that his
attitude in The case was that Of the
Dutch Judge who said that he would
go ever all The points in the case. and
after slecaing over the matterJw would
give his decision in the morning in IA
Yer OF the plaintiff
Strange 10 say. these people have
cssles- They are DIVIDED INTO mobiles.
lfeemen and slaves. One may be born
noble. bat cannot acquire this distipc-
ton From among the mobiles is chosen
the macconsy, or King The palaver Is
"a assembly Of the chiefs and froo.,,a,,