Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1921-11-11

prepared By the National 6eog raphio So
ciety. Washington d. CO.
The n6tfves Or the ffftefi0f or MITCH
are very different from those of the
coast regions who have abs0rDed the
worst that civilization has to offer,
vet many q traveller, touching only
the fringe of the DaEA CoAtiReqgtI,
builds his ideas Of ITS people on hose
corrupted by alcohol. European NOR
ais. and the passion for gain either
By fair means or foul. In the Bel.
gian Congo. lfor example,, where are
to be met typical negroes Of the, tgQp-
tcs. one finds people who are frankly
savages, to be sure, With customs DIS
gushing to the westernef' but who
possess good traits for all that. If
the tribes are approached properly
hardly one will be found which is not
naturally goodstempered, ands m most
Instances hospitablee and trustful.~
Stanieyville. the chief station In
north-centrai Congo. was a few years
ago strange mixture of an Arab,
european and negro town. Whatever
Aarm the Arabs may have done to the
aatives, and there Is no doubt that In
their slave-raiding expeditions they
Aave slaughtered them by the thou
sands they certainly have taught them
many a good thing. 1t was the Arabs
who introduced rice. Madagascar po-
tatoes, beans and many useful plants.
They have taught the natives ucleans
,iness and established schools In many
centers. a.
The town b much used as an out
Htting point for expeditions but at
times 1t IS edlsappointingly --snsrt of
supplies. In making trips up the
Congo river from StanleyvIife one
must cross the river below the falls
and have ms ruggage carried TO IA
point on smooth water above the
cataracts. SET.
Queer BambaIa Customs.
Among the people of Congo few
possess stranger customs or present
more curious contrasts than the Bam4
baIa tribe, who live in Numerous vn-
tages on the banks of the XVIII Jumba
river in the. southwestern part Of
the country. Each village Is under
It's own chief, who holds the position
byvlrtue of his wealth and is sue
ceeled at his death by the next richest
man of the tribe. His principal func-
tion Is to act as money-lender to his
subjects. No tribute Is paid to the
chief. but he has a right to the ribs
ofevery human being killed for food
ana to the, hind legs of each animal
killed during the great hunts, II a
chief is young enough, he acts as
leader in war; otherwise one Of his
sons takes Ills place. q sg's' Z 'ss 't''''
Intermediate between the chief and
the ordinary freeman Is an hereditary
class called muri, who may not eat
human flesh nor yet the meat of fowls
They are distinguished by an iron
btacelet and special headcovering Of
ci0th. which may not be removed by
ar1 one under penalty Of death, even
lffhe offender did not intend to touch
It.
The bracelet Of muri passes Al
dSith to the nephew Sisters SOM
WHO succeeds to the dignity. and thu
her must sstedl athS stun of hissdiSae
Tho corpse II buried for some two
monthsv=<hanz=<hes alzi,ll==isszaxhnmed
painted red. and placed In the hous'
itsI cxRg rusedz "a occqpy Thl
nethew must gain posscssfdn b
It 8t night without being observed
and after hiding II fcr~s zsw aagsA,
th@lbush, take Il home to his hut.
Il muir Il killed In wan his -brace
letEis senezan ke<1 1tatlnzs lQAle16 t
befstolen as before, from the. .hostil
village. Tho CHIEFS privilege %
nd bber Of this class 10 the right to
notion Of each animal killed In hunt
inG EFF
Ordeal by Poison
Il disputes. where two people
the same village are concerned.
poison ordeal Ii employed as judg
whether man Il accused Of witcl
craft. parricide or of some minor 9