Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14

cept some of the cities of Java, and they
are by no means fine.
The Germans have laid out the town so
that II seems to be a part of a botanical
garden. 1t is situated not far from the
equator and its vegetation is SURPRISINGLY
beautiful. The buildings rise out of CO.
cOanut palms and the fan-like leaves of
other palm trees whisper a welcome as
we walk through the streets. There are
many acacias and dress loaded with
flowers of all kinds. The roads are we'll
kept Every blade of grass and weed is
pulled out. and chain gang of native
women convicts pounds hard the road bed
after each rain. These women have iron
collars about their necks and there are
chains which run from collar to collar.
holding the gang together They are
bareheaded. bareshoudered and bore
footed. and they move along taking up
the whole width of the road and pounding
the ground firm with wooden stamps,
which they raise and let fall in unison.
The native section of Oar es Salaam is
back from the harbor Neither Hindoos
nor Africans are allowed 10 have houses
in the European settlement and their huts
are showed off in the woods at the rear.
The town has altogether about $4,000
people. The most of them are natives
of the different tribes which live along
the coast, and large number who have
from back in the interior. Many of
them are Swahiis. noted as the br1ghtest
OF the East Africa negroes; and there
are also a large number of East Indians
who have monopolzed the retail trade
The Kaiser's Black Soldiers.
These people all dress in cottons and
they are more clad than those l saw in
British East Africa, Uganda or
around Lake Victoria. Some of the ma
tive women are fine looking, but they |
all inutiliate their ears and many scar |
their bodies that the flesh stands up |
in great welts. The women comb their |
hair in such way that they seem to |
wear hoods They shave partings at In
head. blowing burrows as it were over
their scalps. Many wear enormous ear |
plugs, which distend the lobes of the ear |
so that a silver dollar can be easily |
slipped in and out through them. and |
few have nose rings. Their clothes are
of bright-colored prints made in India |
and shipped here from Bombay.
Among the most striking Of the natives |
are the soldiers. The kaiser has an army |
Of 2JCO blacks to keep his millions OF |
East African subjects In order, and so far |
they have done very well. These negroes |
have been selected for their size. and they |
remind one of the famed guard of Fred |
erick the Great none Of whom was under |
six feet. They are big-framed and broad |
shouldered, and their faces seem to me |
the personification of uglness and bru- |
tality They are dressed in khaki. with !
khaki caps with aprons at the back to |
protect the neck. and their uniforms are [
much like those of the German army, |
save that they are barefooted. These SOL |
diers are armed with the best Of modern |
guns and they know how to use them. J
During my stay here have seen them at |
drill They go through all the evolutions |
common to the German army, including |
the famous goose STEP and other mill |
tary gymnastics. ! am told they are |
proud of their profession, and that they |