The Ordway new era., 1922-12-29

abundant The animate curiosity of |
the Gold Coast is the driver-ant, which |
also constitutes its worst pest. The |
driver-ants constitute the standing |
army of the insect world. They have |
system of caste and rank, and the
naturalist gravely tells that the work
ers are a quarter of an inch long, the
soldiers about half an inch, while the
stately officers reach seven-eighths of
an inch.
Results of the World War.
AS a result of the World war. Great
Britain added to her Gold Coast col
ony an area of about 12,500 square
miles which was formerly part of
German Togoland. A portion twice as
large went to France. The new Brit
ish addition to the Gold Coast lies
along the eastern border and stretches
away in the shape of lens far to
the north.
Germany annexed Togoland in 1884,
the year she launched upon her
colonial expansion with the acquisi-
ton also of northeastern New Guinea
and the Bismarck archipelago. Togo
land was the first colony to dispense
with imperial subsidy.
Along the seacoast Togoland's soil
is rich and sandy, its climate warm
and moist. The hinterland is higher
wooded and drier, but seldom arid.
Thus the land is adapted to wide
variety of products, among which the
growing of coconuts, corn, rice. to-
bacco and coffee already has been
highly successful. The exports in
clude considerable quantities of ivory,
kernels, copra, palm oil and rubber.
This colony affords commentary
upon Germany's application Of bureau
cratic methods to her possessions.
Despite heavy German emigration to
the United States and South America,
and despite her effort to divert this
flow to her colonies, only about 300
Germans were to be found among the
million natives of Togoland in 1910.
Most of the 300 were engaged In gov
ernment service, either in the coast
cities of LONE, a made-to-Order town
which Germany planted on the site of
fishing village, and little Popo, or
the inland government stations at
Misahohe or Bismarckburg.
Togoland, too, was along the famous
Slave Coast of Africa.
About the Dahomeys.
The Dahomeys, natives of the south.
present curious blend of shrewd-
ness. cruelty, and superstition. Small,
robust and athletic, they climb trees
like monkeys, easily become fluent
linguists. but cling to fetichism and
still practice cannibalism.
The king of the Dahomeys is a
tribal deity. He controls the lives and
property of his subjects. Formerly
he was regarded as more ethereal
than human; he was believed to re-
quire neither food nor sleep. He
strengthened that impression by hav-
ing all food served to him in solitude,
and hearing petitions from behind
screen. Consultation with his minis
| ters was carried on through h wives
who were state dignitaries. Genuine
Amazons formed his bodyguard, and
these warrior women were reputed tC
be as fearless and brave as those OF
Greek mythology, and much more
cruel.
Only the sons Of the dada, or queen
were regarded as heirs. From among
the Amazons the sovereign selected
other wives. but all except the favoret
few were celibates. The king wa
considered the father of all his sub
jects. Children were taken fror
their mothers at an early age an
given to other families SO they Nigh
form no ties which would conflict wit
their allegiance to the king.