The Coolidge examiner., 1935-07-12

ANA hEa4FttA OF FAa0FnN& m i've tTAs-'
irs give an impression ~ thriving
containing African life such a. one
scarcely senses among the less de-
veloped fores, typcs. particularly
among the dreavy. halfinvaiid crca-
lures % the Jungle ~ southern
Cameroun. The favorable climate.
the mixture of types. and. sbove
nll the remoieness of the corrup-
tive Influence of white ciyillza.
tion clearly show their effect
By sunday morning the peasants
have for the most part gone away.
their produce sold or fayorahly sx-
changed. The nris'ocrnts. however.
remain. Al the slightest proyocailon
they viii arrange paUde. n sham
war. anything so vary the monoiony
OF isolated tribal ilfe
one sunday noon recently n trav-
eler learned that word went forth
that = ~play" bad teen arranged.
The elgh, whites then IN Foumhan.
nnly three - whom resided there
permanently. sat with Sultan Njoya
In chalrs ~ one end ~ the town
square. The riders. musicians sing
ers. standard bearers. and bufIoons
made ready AZ the other.
The 'play." running true 10 the
type of innumerable similar dis
plays that take place In the larger
towns of the high prairie. began
with an orderly procession of all
the uumounted men. Drums. hles.
horns % many kinds. and strlnEei
instruments came In the frsi rank,
PLAYING warlike rcfraIns. Before
them danced. somersaulied. and
grlmaced several clowns. royal
testers attached 90 the sultan's
court In much the same position
held by the court testers of medl-
eval Europe. siandard,bearers and
rabble Of singers brought up tie
rear.
The end of the square reached.
the marchers formed Irregular lines
at either side. and. spears and stand.
ards lifted. shouted greeting 10 the
horsemen who followed.
Charge of the Horsemen.
The square OF Foumban is mar.
row and a little more than go
yards long. II was midafternoon
OF a golden tropical summer. The
ylyidly green trees that sklrted the
plaza and the bright red earth pc
cullar 20 the Foumban district made
n perfect setting. The horsemen
numbered more than 100. and each
was gowned in flowing robes EN-.
broldered In every imaginable bright
color. All carried either spears or
long llnilock rifles.
There was a great shout. and
from the distance the spurred
horses bore down upon the specta.
tors at full gallop. The dust. the
flashing spears. the wild cries. and
the blazing colors made a thrilling
sight.
In another instant the small. help
less group OF whites were cold with
terror. for the charge neither turned
nor abaied. There was no time to
move.
when less ths~ six feet away,
each man shouted. stood up In his
stirrups. and reined In. Every
horse rose up on It's hind legs. fore
feet kicking. plrouetted. and the line
swept away at the right angle. The
cruel Hausa bit. an iron circle that
rings the horses tongue and holds
In It's upper side a sharp prong that
gouges the animals flesh when the
rein is pulled. had proved It's effec-
tiyeness.
Sultan and His Museum.
One OF the most unusual things
In Fonmban is the museum OF Sui
tan Njoya. But Njoya. a magnlfi-
cent. six-foot. black chieftain. with
the smile OF a nice baby. is an un-
usual man. lie is himself. for one
thing. the inventor OF one OF the
only two written alphahets known