The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-29

NE Country but the l1fe NJ IA.
People-PeoullAF Arrangement =,
EnlnFgea Photographs-TheT ronh,s,
A new African hall has been in.,an.i
AZ he American Museum Of Natural
History under the direction Of DR. Roha,,
II. LOwrio. assistant curator Of the do.
partmene Of anthropOloGy. who IA,
made q study Of the life and Gust ns n
the natives In Africa.
The hall IL situated on one Of the urror
stories OF the northwest wing u tho
muaeum. Il contains two large collec' on,
one from the late King Leopold Of Bel.
Rium, and the other. which was pur.
chased from Prof. Frederick Starr q
Chicago, who made an expedition several
years ago through the Belgian Congo
In one respect the decorations are
an innovation. There are many nhaAaa
Of native life In Africa which cannot IL
Illustrated by specimens shown In cHsss
To show this lie photographs have been
obtained from travellers and sOientiga.
and enlarged. The enlarged photographs
have been made into tranapaFenciss.
The centre Of one transparency ahOws
group % warriors from the Nasal people.
whom Col. Theodore Roosevelt encom.
tered on his recent trip through Africa.
Another shows a Nasal family standing
In front Of a mud covered hut. and stiI
another csntrepisos illustrates that the
Nasal are q cattle hsrding people.
In each case the sthnopaphical centre.
piece Ia provided with decorative border
taken from photographs Of the sams
region 20 az 70 show the character Of the
BoTa and scenery OF the African country.
Another panel represents the native
African engaged in iron making 10 far
A known the idea Of using panels in this
wAy Il entirely novel. The panels are
placed on the sides 81 the walls Of the hall
and give one a graphic pictorial idea Of
the native life In the Wilds Of Africa.
AZ the visitor enters the hall Calph.
the huge hippOpotamus, mounted on a
pedestal stands guard at the gateway.
A long panel Of masks and fetiches has
been placed In the southern part Of The
hall. The reverse Of this panel "a deco
rated in a similar manner. These orna.
mental maalxs were formerly used BY
warriors. native priests and members II
secret societies for African oeremonials
and weird dances. They are richly deco.
rated and ornamsntnd with grass and
frinRss, and sometimes COWrie shellA
Other trophies used for decorations are
apearu, paddles. swords. throwing knives
end shields, AZ one time worn by African
warriors Many OF these decorative
weapons are placed on a background 81
native mats. The mats are often highly
ornamental. being decorated With animal
designs. some q tho knives shown ara
used by native execuiioners 20 siAy their
captives.
The throwing knives are especially
dangerous and have three distinct
blades. 40 the victim stands a pretty fair
chance Of receiving q thrust from one Of
them. These knives are used In warfare
and also for hunting in African jungles,
In tho central quadrangle OF the ball the
visitor finds above the decorative papels
a series Of paintings In sepia tones. hlus-
trntinR the meet Characteristic features
Of African aoanary from tho desert Of
KalahaTi in the south 10 tho Sahara sands
in the north. Here the visitor may also
zee a reproduction Of the famous Victoria
Falls Of the Zambasi River, twics a. high
as Niagara Falls. and another scene
shows the snow capped mountains OF the
niwenznFi range. which were explored
by the Due al Abruzzi Of Italy. Another
interesting panel shows tho natives cros-
sing a hanging bridge made Of creepins
plants, a fragile roadway apparently e.
tho American pedestrian.
In the collections Displayed IN The
hall are REPRESENTATIONS Of various In.
duatries Of the Congo aboriKinea. Some
wonderful cloths resembling velvet arr
shown with embroidered patterns. The
wood work IL alao notable In quality,
and both the wooden oupa and drums
ars highly decorated with artistic pat
terms
The household furniture used By the
African tribes IN amply represented.
Instead Of pillows the natives uss a
wooden stool for the head rest. examplRa
Of which are shown. The forms OF money
are peculiar. One large coin used BY
the natives in trade IL in the shape Of a
throwing knivo Another about i've
feet long resembles a sword.
The musical Instruments shown in
olude drums. some Of which are used
for giving signals by beating the tom
tom The natives have developed
code by the uee OF these drums through
which they can Telegraph signals for a
NANNAAAAAAAH
form Of signalling Ia Illustrated on one
Of the transparencies on the west side
Of the hall
Il IL the aim Of the museum 10 make
the hall a stOrahOuss Of African spec
mems and trophies and eventually %
include al Of Africa in the collections
The yutheTn part Of the hall will be Do.
voted 10 south Africa. tho northern
end 20 north Africa and the east and west
sides IN the respective sections OF the
country.
The museum has an expedition IN
Africa AZ present hsadod by Messrs.
Lang aud Chaplin Lsttsra from The
explorers In November say that The
expedition was making its headquarters
At Awakuhi, twenty-slx days march 40
the Congo River from stablsyvills. Most
NJ this march wa through the dense
tropical forest and Was extremely trying
10 the Whit men and also the native
portsre. The expedition has been sue
cessflIl In cOilscting hundreds Of perfect
skins aud skeletons Of mammals and
birds. lJssidss Photographic and other
data for uss IN preparing habitat groups
Many fine elephant tiaks are obtained
In AWakubi.