Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
Lion Hunters MiSsiQn.
Marvellous Religious Work Of Maynard Whose Business
HIM Among the Wild Watata People.
BY WILLIAM EDGAR CELL. F. r. G. s.
Copyright, 1906. by w. T.. Cell

In my journey across the dark continent
came upon. in British East Africa, very
remarkable man. Maynard, the lion hunter.
His work among the violent and uncon-
quered Wataita has been marvelously sue
cessful. as memorable Sunday l spent
with him in the mountains proved. 1t was
one of those days which stand out from the
others of mans life. Such was the day
when l saw the massing of the savage
mountaineers to hear the preaching of the
great chief.
Relgiously the Wataita people believe in
Mlungu. supreme being about whom they
have very vague idea. They do nothing
worshipful except in seasons of distress
Then sheep or goat is slain to propitiate
MlunGu and probably to influence their
ancestors. There are certain indications
that successful worship exists among them.
They also believe in charms granting
immunity from dangers and have a super
stitious dread of eating or even touching
the meat of certain animals. Some Prot
estant missionaries. men and women, are
working among them. as are some Catholic
priests.
Much might be said about these interest
ing mountaineers. Once they were robbers
ana even in recent years expeditions have
been sent by the government to their lofty
villages to kill and destroy Now all is
peaceful and the few white people find it
unnecessary to close and fasten their DOORS
August the 9th dawned the Dabida
mountains bright and clear still and cool
perfect Sabbath. Over the deep valley
TO the left of the rising sun white clouds
rolled lightly and lazily as If loath to dis
appear into still thinner vapor Above the
hlK-whlte mist the magnificent peak Ka-
IN jnr A
stiffness pervaded everything save only the
sound OF river water rushing over brown
rocks in the valley below
AS the morning advanced the sun shone
warmer, slight breeze sprang I'D and the
silence was broken by the missionary ring
ing the bell. which bore this inscription:
Holiness Unto the Lord" This was the
hrst signal for the assembling of the peo-
pie. went out to look. Toward the south
beyond the deep green Mondugu valley. |
saw a string of savages filing down the
side of the massive Mwawada mountain
Beyond this and more than two miles dis
tant single figures strolled along the mar
row track on lofty Uslrumbu. Others were
moving toward the place of worship down
the steep side of Mgocho. They came along
brown Terini and down the Marangeni
road. Groups and long lines passed quickly
over the brow of Mogo across the Msungi
and others from the northwest climbed the
Saga hill
These mountaineers. ex-robbers, fierce
SlduSLSL, lHelT. Sleel-UppGO spears
and arrows soaked in Giriama poison, filed
along the crooked mountain tracks, down
the well-worn clay bitches and converged
at Mbale. Such a sight might well recall
the fierce highlanders of Scott, but here
The bell had summoned to the glen
Ere long full nine hundred men.
The mountaineer cast glance Of pride
Along Dabidas living side.
AS they passed my tent watched them
Oily dudes with shell-shaped metal bells
on their ankles and circles of wire above
the calf of the leg; others with necklaces;
still others wearing huge earrings four
inches in diameter; one youth with a
feather in his hair and a few with red
turbans: women satisfied to wear skirts
two feet in length and two hundred yards
of beads about the neck and babies fas-
tened to their backs-large and small, old
and young, of various shades from coal
black through maroon to peanut color
Mostly they had skin bags containing some
planta!ns to be roasted for the days food
One boy carried solitary yam. With