Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

low the Zambesi ! want to
write a letter about the queer customs
of our African sisters. They are an i'm
portant half OF this dark-complexioned
world, and every nation and tribe has its
own ways of treating them. I have al
ready written of the Mohammedan
maidens along the coast of the Mediter-
ranean: they go about clad all in white
or black. each having only a single eye
hole In her garments to find her way
along the streets. I have written of the
far-skinned Jewesses of Tunis They
dress in Jackets and trousers. and a
pair OF their embroidered breeches often
costs as much as 500. l have told You
how they are fattened for marriage by
special feeding and how popular belle
often weighss 300 pounds, or about as
much as our own dear Secretary Taft. /
have described the women OF Tripoli and
Egypt. where the girls cover their faces
with long wells when they go out OF
doors, and also the dancing maidens Of
the Sahara. called the Oued Nails. VINO
have braZen, bare faces and paint their
eyelids black with kohl and stain their
finger nails and toe nails red with henna.
Farther down the continent ! learned
much about the women OF the British
possessions. where John Bull is now
regulating the marriages. fixing the price
o. brides. old and young. lean and fat.
sood-iooking and the reverse. at 81
apiece: and still farther south about tho
women now ruled by the Germans. who
are allowed TO marry as they please. ac-
Cording to custom. / have also notes
before me gathered during my travels in
Portuguese East Africa. Mashonaland.
atabeleland. and here on the edge OF
TIE kongo Free State. Indeed the ma
terra! is such that hardly know WHERE
TO begin. and l shall dip into my notes.
jumping from on place TO another.
the subject demands.
Adventure With Usukuma Bride.
Let me start with the description OF a
wedding procession which | saw in Ger
man East Africa. on the lower edge OF
Victoria Nyanza. The people there are
known Baslkumas There are half
million OF them and they are considered
strong race. They are Bantu negroes
who dress in cowskins ard cote ns anE
who have cattle sheep and goats When
a young man there wants a wife he pays
her father fifty sheep for her agrees TO
work for the old man number OF years.
a ii marriage arrangements ma de by
go-betueens. and the matchmaker brings
the bride To the groom. In the meanwhile
The chief bridesmaid has arranged the
groomS hut for the occasion and a new
bed is made. consisting OF framework
OF wood with mattress Of OxskIns. The
bridesmaid IS paid sheep for this work.
After this she goes with the matchmaker.
who might be called another bridesmaid
- the house OF the bride and brings her
home in great style.
II was such "A procession that | stopped
or. morning on It's way 10 the groom II
consisted Of "A score or more OF women
dressed in garments OF cowsk!ns and cot
ION. yelling and singing as they danced
along about n Gueer-looking figure which
- h<r2Susly moved In the center. AT
first could not make out what II was
n lse,ked ike woman With Il gigantic
hump wrapped sround with bright hgur-
81 frHjzn fnfeon. As the party came
closer fnis figure turned sidewise. the
Yftrnr, th%n tt,bk The shape Of n human
form srd could ser hat She woman was
e"tfArtfy s4rryinK sister nr brother
g,r,Sa- aer tsF<< gsWH. handed my
ra-y1srs n, nv son iacs. who vas with
me- arS sc~n<ted ne Is5g She laughed
sri Z sttAnp,<A 70 make out what Kind