New-York tribune., 1910-02-20
QUEER PEOPLES DESCRIBED VETERAN TRAVELLER
Men in the Mangrove Swanps of British Nigeria
Paint Their Fiancees Red and Then They
Are Fattened for the Altar.

est of the tribes of the Niger Delta. Thel
villages are removed from the native roadS
probably to escape the notice of slave trad
ers. who used to be very active IN tines
parts B. the roadsides may be seen spirl
houses for the reception of the souls Q
men between death and reincarnation-
Until the coming Of the British-and ever
now in remote districts-these people in
dulged in oannibalism They made human
! sacrifices. As the birth Of twins was con
! sdered of evil omen. the mother and bcr
! children we're always slaughtered Since
/ British rule has been exercised these atroci-
ties have been prohibited, and thus when
I ever disaster comes to the lblblos they
| always ascrihe it to their being prevented
! from king sacrifices 10 appease the
devils of the woods.
The most important race on the Lower
Niger, and living further inland, are the
Ibos. The people speaking the lbo Ian
guage numter some millions. though. Of
course. how many exactly it IS impossible
to say. They are not very big men, rarely
taller than five and half feet but they
are we'll made and muscular. aud the wom-
en- have skins 50 black and so bright that
they look like ebony. When young they
are often rather handsome but as they
reach manhood or woma nhood they become
either very fat o. very thin. The black
mans ideal beautiful girl is a very plump
one. and accordingly before marriage the
bride is specially fattened SO that her
spouse may be all the better pleased With
her.
The 1bos arc great fishermen, and spend
much of their time in that pursuit, leaving
most of the trade in the hands Of the
women. They have towns. and these, as
well the villages. are governed by chiefs.
recognized by the British government.
each OF whom has sworn allegiance to the
local king. The streets are grassy lanes,
across which stretch festoons Of giant
crcepers. and the hus are so hidden
among the scrub and low trees that they
are almost ndistinguisha BILE from the sur
rounding vegetation. The kings palace is
surrounded by mud walls. He is practi
cally prisoner, for only once a year is
he allowed by the priests to so outside,
and then only to perform q solemn dance
before his subjects
The hos inhabit the stretch OF country
extending from the Niger to the Cross
River. The customs. of course vary in
different parts Those who live near th.,
Cross River have practices that are Ger
tainIy peculiar. For instance when a fes-
tivaI is in prospect the women spend many
days beforehand in arranging one an
others hair. smearing ii with palm oil and
then pastcrinS ii into singular shapes.
which remain undisturbcd for months at n
time. Most men shave their rhins but the
chiefs allow small tufty beard to grow
ana to the end Of this they not infreqnently
fasten a small brass bel, or some crna
mcnt.
As the English siIi wears a ring when
she Is engaged IL be married 50 the Ibo
girl wcars necklaces in proportion 10 the
number Of lovers she has The clothing is
not protuse The men are content with a
straight piece Of cloth, which falls from
their waists to then ankles while the cloth |
worn by the women reaches only half way |