New Britain herald., 1923-10-05
WILD BEASTS ARE
Menace IN AFRICA
People OIL British Colonies Live ID
Fear Of Animals

LohdeAs Oct hs=~Al lis not los IA
the life of British officials in ian,
sanyiks territory. formerly German
Last Africa Liens. leapsFds ana sle,
phanss mshsee the pepulafioni mis-.
siohaFy jealousy besildsrs the pagan
natives. and afteheraft. praetieed by
the wild Wanare OF the Moshi dis.
tFiei, causes many helpless infants 10
be put 70 death annually.
Aspects OF life In this new British
terrltory are described IN the 1859 re-
part Of the country. Big game mnl.
uniied rapidly IN Tanganyika during
The war Lions frequently satisfy their
taste for human nesh az the expense
OF life, Their boidness Is incredible.
and whole villages have been terror
iEed by their presence. In the first
half OF the year rewards were paid
for the destruction Of 500 lions and
500 leopards. In Tabora district alone
l7 people were killed by lions,
Elephants do great damage 10
crops. often running whole planta-
ton In a single night. or. entering
the villages. they strip the roofs OF
grain stores and scatter or consume
the contents. The native too often
assumes a fantastic attitude IN the
presence OF disaster. and becomes UNI
willing or unable 10 help himself.
In Tanganyisa witehcraft has MS
fatal effects on infants as wild beasts
have on adult natives. To the infiu-
ence OF the medicine-men. rays the
report. may be attributed the bar
barous practice OF infanticide which
prevails among the Wapare In the
Moshi district. Children born with
some abnormality. or the offspring
Of parents who have failed 10 UNDER
so initiation into certain tribal cere-
monies are done to death by delib- |
crate starvation and neglect. or by ex- |
posture to the unhealthy climate OF |
the low country. often parents |
would of their own accord abandon
such childSen. and In many cases have
preferred 10 give them away to
strangers.
When the elders of the tribe were
addressed on this matter. there was a
decided tendency to recognize Its evils
and to adopt more enlightened ideas,
but few were against the abolition
Of the custom on the ground that the
destruction of the tribes certainly
would follow. According to these
sages. life is altogether too precarious,
Ind the number of acts or omissions
which they can cite as being fatal is
even to plant tree was
pronounced to be equivalent to DOOM
ng oneself to death.
Apntbar diffiouIty ,onfrnottoo I9rit |
sh administrators In the territory Is
hat of rivalry among missionaries.
1T is greatly to be regretted that a
pirit of Jealous rivalry has mani
ested itself in certain districts be-
ween Christian missions of different
the report declares.
1t arises from very natural and
incere belief in the superiority OF
hat branch of the common faith
,hich 1t is their pride and their duty
D preach to the heather, but 1t has
ften resulted in an undignif1ed COM
etition to extend the scope of the
lission beyond limits which q proper
egree of influence and control would
and in attempts to set UP
,hools In juxtapositiop OF those of
mother denomination. This open dis
lay to the pagan of religious differ I
noes cannot but react to the damage
{ the Christian faith.
christian missionaries, by offering I
ne doctrine here, another close by,
nd still another few miles away,
Iust achieve little more than the I
,mplete bewilderment of the pagan.
tive ord ~ would ba we'll if rh rio- |