The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-02-03
BYERLEES WRITE
FROM CONGO BEIGE

Mr.. and Mrs. David Byerlee. who
are now engaged in missionary work
at Bolenge, Congo Beige, have written
hOmefolks that they are temporarily
located. In a recent Glacier letter
recounting their experiences EN- route
to Africa was printed. The following
are excerpts from a letter from Mrs.
Byerlee, descriptive of their new quar-"
ters:
1--WE are comfortably settled tempor-
arily, and are launched into little
mission work already besides our daily
language study. David is working in
the printing Office half day and /
teach the native children reading,
writing and arithmetic one hour each
morning at the outlandish hour of $50.
1t is not SO bad when you get used to
it and much nicer to work early while
it is cool and have two hours off in the
heat of the day for sleeping and hav-
ing a cool bath, which is so necessary
for comfort in a warm climate. We do
not feel so hot here but we perspire
more freely. The weather is very
much like Oregon summer weather,
only it lasts all year.
The abundance of oranges, lemons,
bananas, pae pae, grape fruit, guavas,
and other fruits, vegetables we are all
familiar with, besides many Others
which fare very good indeed, we are
enjoying so much. | am very much
afraid instead of getting thin | may
have the misfortune to do as one of
the other lady missionaries did, that is
gain seventy six pounds in the first
term out.
We had fine trip on the Oregon,
since coming, and visited all but one
of our mission stations. On the way
we stopped for wood at heather vii
lage where we sure saw the natives
a la natural. We got off the boat and
went ashore to see the sights. The
natives were holding market where
palm nuts, native bread made from a
plant called kau kau, bananas and fish
were being sold. They simply spread
their food on the ground and waited
for customers. When they saw the
steamer coming. some of the bolder
came near to see the white people and !
how they laughed and jabbered when
they saw little golden haired Frances |
Holder. She is two years old and so
cute. She waved to them and threw |
them kisses, which pleased them so |
much.
These women wore only beaded gir-
dies with fringe about the size of your
hand hanging from the belt in front,
and large pom pom (something like
big red sponge) in the back. Their
ankles and necks and arms were
with brass anklets and brace
lets, and their bodies were smeaTed
over with a native dye which makes
the skin a mahogany color. Their
hair was braided in tiny braids and
tied under their chins. They had pat
terms of leaves or designs of some kind
in their skin on the breast, arms, fore.
head and cheeks. | don't know how
they get the patterns done so artis-
.ieally. for it is done by picking the
skin with a needle and inserting an
irritating fluid which prevents the skin
from healing for sufficient length of
line to make the pattern. When done
/ has the appearance of we'll padded
1t is rather pretty on the
BODY but dishgures the face.
The men of this village wore only a
mall loin cloth and the children wore
imply a string of beads around the
waist. David snapped several pictures
,ut as it was rather cloudy fear he
lid not get any good pictures. The
natives nearer the mission or trading
,osts buy gay cloth. The women wrap
( around them Just under the arm pits
md stick the end in somehow, so it !
Gems TO hold, and falls like tight
kirt to their ankles. They also wear
.ay turbans and beads around their
lecks. The men sometimes wear thin Z
otton undershirts of white or color !
md khaki or white trousers. The Z
nen who have not been near civiliza- $
ion very long wear only bright col [
red cloth wrapped around the loins, :
ne end tucked in, in front and the /
10th falling in tight skirt to the I
.nees. I
Some on the mission wear good.
White duck suits, shoes and socks. s
hirts, collars and ties, while others v
year khaki trousers and a shirt with r
he tail hanging outside. Others wrap v
bright colored blanket around the h
waist, cross the ends in front and tie 5
hem around the neck. You see they $
ave varied tastes where dress is con a
eined. If they can get hold Of suit g
( gay colored pajamas, they put them v
n for Sunday wear. n
They are a lovable people. very
aithfui to their "b0nedelle" white :
nan. Sometimes they will take some L
title thing like piece Of soap or
ONE small portion Of cooked food but \