The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-17

| tached to these collars that the gang
made a great Jnsling as 1t walked along.
Each had sheet OF corrugated iron on his
head. and upon this about a bushel or SO of
black earth from the swamps outside the
fort. Tho man were guarded at the front
and rear by soldiers with guns.
| Call Upon tho Commandment.
| The soldiers at the gates were not espe-
e,nlly friendly. and j. seemed to mo that
the officers within did not want to meat
| strangers. Archdeacon Walker with
me. and through his knowledge OF tho ma
/ tive language we were able to talk with
| the guards and mako our way. The first
soldiers We met told us that the command
him until he had finished his after dinner
nap. We then started away. but were called
back by another solder. who told US tina.
pt obably be out presently. This man did
not ask Us into the house, SO we stood
there and waited until tho Governor might
he did 80, and after that we were very we'll
ltreated. The name Of the governor is Baron
little man with a blonde beard. He was
dressed in white duck. but nevertheless look
ed exceedingly warm He took US into the
4 time about his country and people He told
mo that the trade about Lake Victoria is
ropidiy growing. and that large part OF
the goatskins and hides. which form oNs
= o. the principal exports goes to the United
states. He says there Is an increasing de-
mand for American cotton goods. ana az az
Il gave the opinion that German East Africa
was beginning 10 prosper. and that 1t would
eventually he well-paying colony.
4 Business Among tho Ba1ibas.
Shortly after this. we left tho governor
and strolled out into the town OF Bukoba to
look at the stores and the market. These
, are ris5t near the fort. the village proper
less street consists of dozen or more little
booths. each occupied by q Hindoo Iner.
. Grant, who sits or stands In It. surrounded
: by his goods. The black. grass-clad cus-
{ toners remain outside tho store. and make
their purchases by means OF cowry shells
ored cottons. the tavorites. as I have said.
!. being American sheetings. Another popular
article Of merchandise Is wire, OF copper,
as jewelry. and 1t is almost as valuable as
gold and silver are in our country. The
wire is brought hero In great kegs, and coils
OF 1t are hung up in front OF tho stores. 1t
Is OF all thicknesses, from the size Of !,
human hair to the diameter OF ones little
finger. The thicker wire is hammered out
into arrnlets, anklets and collars. and The
. finer Is woven and plated into similar, orna-
) ments. Some .-of the wire 5ewelry Is heavy
, and very common anklet worn by the wo-
men looks as though It might have beer
; torn from our woven wire fences ana twisted
together.
!, In the market square, near these stores
saw many black peddlers. They squat.
! ed on the ground. with their wares piled
a about them Here woman sold sweet po-
entrails of shop or goats. and farther over
/ were others selling peanuts and white ants
!, The white ants had been roasted The,
and were sold at SO many shells per pile.
Shells Used ms Money.
III The cowry shell Is the chief currency o.
this part OF Africa, and understand 1t l!
Lake Tanganyikn and the Congo vale,
l The shells are brought here from the coas
| OF India and are exchanged for rupees o.
fNnE rnf NJ 4 "a fhn q
| worth about SO cents. and as the shells are
/ put up In strings OF 100 each, a string OF
shells Is worth just about cents OF oul
spears at 1900 shells each. carved mill
bowl at 1900 shells. and a native choppint
Il knife which cost 1000 shells. These shells
L and they are clumsy to handle. Indeed
II 10000 OF them weigh seventy pounds, ant
II that Is all that one man can carry. When
\ go through the country shall have to have
at least nfteen porters to carry every, hun
H dred dollars take with me. Seven dol.
10 cents worth would weigh about as mucl
/ as sixteen OF our silver dollars. This make
commerce difficult, and the Germans ar,
| trying to Introduce q new coinage based OF
| this Indian rupee. The chief trouble Is I,
| make the coin small enough. The presen
| issue Includes coins known; as hellers,
! which 100 SO to rupee, SO that one helle
: Is worth one-third OF cent of our money.
: In q Bazeba Village.
+ Leaving the market, visited the villag
l near the fort and then went across tn
| country to see other towns In the interior
The houses are very much like those Of tn
I Baganda. AT a distance they look like hay
stacks or stray tents. They are made 0
poles fastened to-gether at the top. maxim
/ a framework the shape OF n cone. This 1
lined with reeds which run from the bot
/ tom to the top and are fastened togethe
I by bands Of reeds which go round and roun,
inside the hut from floor to roof. The out
side is thatched, and the thatchs comes clea
to the ground The roof Is upheld by man
poles, which are SO arranged that they al
vide the interior Into rooms. One OF tn
huts which r entered had two apartment
about three feet wide and six feet lone
which We're used for sleeping. In the centr
OF the hut was a fire. upon which, in a
earthen pot. Some food was steamlng away
I There was neither. stove nor ,chlmney an
the smoke filled the hut. 1t had niread
] turned the walls and roof deep brow
/ color. so that the whole looked gloomy
understand that the, fire Is kept up day an
\ ntght, as the weather Is often damp, an
also as new fires are hard to lsindle /
Il many parts Of this country matches ar
III comparatively unknown. and fire is gotte
= BY twisting one stick in q hole made In
< block OF wood until the friction brings
= lt,ht.