Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-06-20

U6plU warriors. 1ney nave re-
maind exceedingly brave; but the
quiet, stationary life they have led
since they took up their abode here
has made them shepherd farmers at
tached to their fresides and paternal
fields and the soil that nourishes them
and has also made them ingenious
and skilful builders. You never see
them armed They salute the travel
Ter as he approaches, and offer him
drinking water, which they have kept
cool in the shade of a thicket for they
are hospitable, kind, and gentle.
Among them you may so where yon
hke-unarmed, and without bearing
gifts or troubling to take along provi-
siOns: everywhere you will be cordial
ly received and generously entertain
ed. They accept authority without
demur. Strong and superbly built.
they commonly wear only a breech
cloth. Their women so uncIad till
their marriage day.
Nevertheless they betray in certain
particulars their descent from a race
of WARRIORS. e. in the costumes they
don upon certain occasions and in the
altogether military architecture of
their 'tatas."
We have seen that the Moundans
never carry weapOns-a rare thing in
African countries untouched by our
civilization. And yet at their festivals
and masqueTades one need not be sur
prised to see them parading mounted
upon horses caparisoned in medieval
looking trappings, and they themselves
covered with armor and wearing
plumed helmets and brandishing
spears-mere play weapons-thus
barking back to bygone days. And
their dwellings look like fortresses.
recalling the heroic lives their an
ceStors led
A MOundan town is composed of a
certain number of farmhouses, more
or less distant from one another, but
their architecture bears no resem-
blance to that Of the buildings erected
by neighboring peoples From a dis
lance you would almost think you
were coming up to an old crenelated
castle. There are round towers and
bastions and solid walls. Inside rise
massive cupolas, each pierced with a
single hole. These are storehouses for
grain. In the middle of this en-
sembIe is a large oval or rectangular
court, upon which all the buildings
look down. Before the main entrance
way there is the house of the mas
ter, the head of the family.
The life of these people-good-
natured masters, independent women,
and slaves treated like members of the
hOusehold-passes without marked
events and without other incident than
the small affairs of the home.
1t was in this country that the
Mol mission reassembled for their
return to France Here had been des-
ignated as a rendezvous for the differ
ent sections despatched in various
directions for the geographical survey
and the detailed exploration of the
region.
UnquestiOnably, of all the countries
Commandant Mol and his associates
prowIed through, that of the Noun
dams was the most interesting. But
consider what diverse races they
visited and studied. The curious
photographs they brought back show
ing the headdresses of the women are
sufficient in themselves to illustrate
very strikingIy the prOdigious variety
of the types they met upon their way,
the diversity Of costume, and the ia
shiOns of countless tribes and races
scattered throughout the vast eXpanse
they explored; here the Baya women,
who lie mOtiOnless on the ground for
days and days while friend patiently
erects the complicated ediice Of false
hair adorned with carpet tacks or
relieved with pearls and ribbons; yOn-
der the TOubOuri women. with metal
discs thrust into holes in their lips,
while at either corner Of the mouth
stick hangs down like a cat-whisker;
or the M'Boum women, with three.
fold mitres; the women Of the rowing
BorOrOs of the AdamaOua, or the red
Peuhls, remote pOsterity Of Atlantides,
the noblest race Of Africa, since it is
descended from the HicsOs, ancient
! Egyptian shepherds driven out by in
vasions and retreating across the des-
erts driving their cattle before them;
Bayas of the South, with slender
brafds Bayas of the Carnot, with
heImet-shaped coiffure-you can hard
Nv cOunt the varieties