Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-07-25

| AN@NAAhe AWFUL OOil6 VI AhC
lizards would cough. Sometimes
some OF them would fall on the net
ting over my bed. Yes, at first they
bothered quite good deal, but after
a while | could sleep through any
thing"
He says he never thought of put
ting on shoe without shaking it
first to get the scorpions and spiders
out.
The white man in the Congo holds
a position equal to that Of king
among the people.
Firearms, matches, candle lamps,
! in fact every convenience of the more
| civilized race, are to the blacks
| source of wonder But a man must
be strict, or the people will cease
to fear him. With the loss of fear
goes the loss of respect. Menaglias
native foreman used to come to him
| and complain because he did not beat
! the men enough. They said his good
nature was being taken advantage
of. So the distaste for human suf-
| fering which the tenderfoot held gave
| place to a sense of complacency. He
says that after the two years so
| irritable was he, so worn down OF
| nerve, and so hardened to the SUI.
| fering of the natives that he could
order a man 20 lashes with the big
hippo hide whip without thought.
He was Judge of all wrongs in his
| camp Of natives. They would come
| to him with their troubles. The
| loss of a wife the loss of treasure,
| the poisoning of husband, all petty
fights and differences, were settled
| by Menaglia. He was expected to
| decide one way or the other They
would wait until he did. Ana al
| ways when the decision came it was
acted upon, and carried out to the
letter.
The possession of firearms was a
| great asset. The chiefs would al
| ways be friendly, and would aid
| man in every way if he would kill
| fresh game for them They had no
| weapons but spears and arrows. Ma
| tiyes were not safe where white
Menaglia killed several boa constric-
| tors, waiting until the hugh reptiles
were dormant after heavy meal
| a whole goat for instance The big
snakes were 80 feet long.
Monkeys were present in numbers
| in the Jungle One could go out in
the morning and kill several Just for
the sport of it. In that particular
district the huge apes and gorilIas
were not found, but the natives
feared them nevertheless. A black
man takes no chances with any men,
Der of the monkey family.
The blacks were as rule a we'll
proportional people. Some of them
were quite intelligent, although at
present it is impossible for them to
comprehend more than the average
third grade pupil in our school They
are quick to learn language, and
are skillful imitators; but to really
civili2e them takes time, Megnalia
| says. They have no idea of inven-
ton and whatever they do in the way
o. manufacture is simply mechanical.
They are the original specialists.
They can do one thing and do it we'll,
but their ability to think and to APP
ply what they know is lacking.
The Congo black is also the orig
inal prevaricator Lying is not an
requirement with them--it is an art.
They come quite naturally by this
art. They have absolutely no idea
Of the truth They will steal any
thing and it is almost impossible to
get them TO admit their theft. They
know nothing of the value of gold.
They asked Menaglia what the white
men used this queer yellow dust for,
and he pointed to his gold teeth, say
ing this was the use to which it was
put. If they learned of COLDS value
they would undoubtedly steal it also.
Menaglia tells us that the natives
are as rule moral people, with
the exception of their stealing and
lying, which in their code of things,
are not wrong. Other matters of
right and wrong they have clear
idea All infringements on an indi-
vidual's rights are punished.
After Menagla became acquainted
with the natives about him they told
him much relating to their lives.
They all admitted cannabalism and
even went SO sar as 10 specify which