FOR years Livingtone labored among the Backwains,
at Chonuane,
whose chief was a man of great intelligence, but who
had some
amusing ideas and ways. When he embraced Christianity
he
wanted to make his subjects converts by thrashing them
with whips of
rhinoceros hide. Livingstone could not approve of this
new mode of
conversion, and the chief was persuaded to pursue a milder
course.
As Livingstone labored for years among the Backwains,
or Bechuanas,
a full account of the manners, customs, and singular
character of this
tribe will be of interest to the reader.
In appearance they are a fine race of men, in some respects
similar to
the Kaffirs, with whom they have many customs in common.
Their
dress is not very remarkable, except that they are perhaps
the best dress-
ers of skins that are to be found in Africa, the pliancy
of the skin and
the neatness of the sewing being unrivalled. They are
good workers in
metal, and supply many of the surrounding tribes both
with ornaments
and weapons.
As to dress, the Bechuanas, as a rule, use more covering
than many of
the surrounding tribes. The women especially wear several
aprons.
The first is made of thongs, like those of the Kaffirs,
and over that is
generally one of skin. As she can afford it she adds
others, but always
contrives to have the outside apron decorated with beads
or other adorn-
ments.
This series of aprons, however, is all that a Bechuana
woman considers
necessary in the way of dress, the kaross, or outside
garment, being
adopted merely as a defence against the weather, and
not from any idea
that covering to the body is needed for the purpose of
delicacy. In
figure they are not so prepossessing as many of the surrounding
tribes,
'being usually short, stout, and clumsy, which latter
defect is rendered
still more conspicuous by the quantities of beads which
they hang in heavy
coils around their waists and necks, and the multitude
of metal rings with
which they load their arms and ankles. They even load
their hair as much
as possible, drawing it out into a series of little spokes,
and dressing them
so copiously with grease and sibila, that at a few yards
they look as if their
heads were covered with a cap composed of metallic prongs,
and at a
greater distance as if they were wearing bands of polished
steel on their
heads.
They consider a plentiful smearing of grease and red ochre
to be the
very acme of a fashionable toilet, and think that washing
the body is a
disgusting custom. Women are the smokers of the tribe,
the men
preferring snuff, and rather despising the pipe as a
woman's imple-
ment.
The Bechuanas can hardly be selected as examples of good
moral
character. No one who knows them can believe a word they
say,
and they will steal everything that they can carry. They
are singu-
larly accomplished thieves, and the habit of stealing
is so ingrained in
their nature, that if a man is detected in the veiy act
he feels not
the least shame, but rather takes blame to himself for
being so inexpert as to be found out.
Small articles they steal in the most ingenious manner.
Should it be hang-
ing up, they contrive to handle it carelessly and let
it fall on the
ground, and then they begin active operations. Standing
near the coveted
article, and trying to look as if they were not aware
of its existence, they
quietly scrape a hole in the sand with one of their feet,
push the object
of their desire into the hole, cover it up again with
sand, and smooth the
surface so as to leave no trace that the ground has been
disturbed.
They steal each other's goods, whenever they can find
an opportunity,
but they are only too glad to find an opportunity of
exercising their art
on a white man, whose property is sure to be worth stealing.
A travel-
ler in their country has therefore a hard life, for he
knows that there is
not a single article in his possession which will not
vanish if he leaves it
unguarded for a few minutes. Indeed, as Mr. Baines well
observes, there
is not an honest nerve or fibre in a Bechuana's body
; from the root of
his tongue to the tips of his toes, every muscle is thoroughly
trained in
the art of thieving. If they merely sit near an article
of moderate size,
when they move off it moves with them, in a manner that
no wearer of
trousers can conceive. Even Mr. Moffatt, who had a singular
capacity
for discovering good qualities which had lain latent
and unsuspected,
writes in very forcible terms respecting the utter dishonesty
of the
Bechuanas.
Stealing Cattle by Night.
Some mornings, says Mr. Moffatt, we had to record thefts
committed
in the course of twenty-four hours, in our houses, our
smith-shop, our
garden, and among our cattle in the field. These they
have more than
once driven into a bog or mire, at a late hour informing
us of the acci-
dent, as they termed it ; and, as it was then too dark
to render assistance^
one or more would fall a prey to the hyaenas or hungry
natives. One
night they entered our cattle-fold, killed one of our
best draught oxen,
and carried the whole away, except one shoulder. We were
compelled
to use much meat, from the great scarcity of grain and
vegetables; our
sheep we had to purchase at a distance, and very thankful
might we be
if out of twenty we secured the largest half for ourselves.
They would
break their legs, cut off their tails, and more frequently
carry off the
whole carcass.
Tools, such as saws, axes, and adzes, were losses severely
felt, as we
could not at that time replace them, when there was no
intercourse what-
ever with the colony. Some of our tools and utensils
which they stole,
on finding the metal not what they expected, they would
bring back
beaten into all shapes, and offer them in exchange for
some other article
of value. Knives were always eagerly coveted ; our metal
spoons they
melted; and when we were supplied with plated iron ones,
which they
found not so pliable, they supposed them bewitched. Very
often, when
?employed working at a distance from the house, if there
was no one in
whom he could confide, the missionary would be compelled
to carry
them all to the place where he went to seek a draught
of water, well know-
ing that if they were left they would take wings before
he could return.
An Iron Kettle Be\vitclied.
The following ludicrous circumstance once happened, and
was related
to the writer by a native in graphic style. Two men had
succeeded in
Stealing an iron pot Having just taken it from the fire,
it was rather
warm for handing conveniently over a fence, and by doing
so it fell on a
stone, and was cracked. ' It is iron," said they, and
off they went with
their booty, resolving to make the best of it ; that
is, if it would not
serve for cooking, they would transform it into knives
and spears. After
some time had elapsed, and the hue and cry about the
missing pot had
nearly died away, it was brought forth to a native smith,
who had laid
in a stock of charcoal for the occasion. The pot was
further broken to
make it more convenient to lay hold of with the tongs,
which are gener-
ally made of the bark of a tree. The native Vulcan, unacquainted
with
cast iron, having with his small bellows, one in each
hand, produced a
good heat, drew a piece from the fire. To his utter amazement,
it flew
into pieces at the first stroke of his little hammer.
Another and another
piece was brought under the action of the fire, and then
under the
hammer, with no better success. Both the thief and the
smith, gazing-
with eyes and mouth dilated on the fragments of iron
scattered round
the stone anvil, declared their belief that the pot was
bewitched, and
concluded pot-stealing to be a bad speculation.
Expert Thieves.
To the thieving. propensities of these people there was
no end. They
would peep into the rude hut that was used for a church,
in order to see
who was preaching, and would then go off to the preacher's
house, and
rob it at their ease. When the missionaries, at the expense
of great
labor, made a series of irrigating canals, for the purpose
of watering their
gardens, the women would slyly cut the banks of the channels,
and divert
the water. They even broke down the dam which led the
water from
the river, merely for the sake of depriving somebody
of something ; and
when, in spite of all their drawbacks, some vegetables
had been grown,
the crops were stolen, even though a constant watch was
kept over them.
These accomplished thieves have even been known to steal
meat out
of the pot in which it was being boiled, having also
the insolence to
substitute a stone for the pilfered meat. One traveller
found that all his
followers were so continually robbed by the Bechuanas,
that at last he
ceased from endeavoring to discover the thieves, and
threatened instead
to punish any man who allowed an article to be stolen
from him. They
do not even spare their own chief, and would rob him
with as little
compunction as if he were a foreigner.
There was need among such people of more than one Livingstone
to
teach them the virtue of honesty.
Dr. Lichtenstein, who certainly had a better opmion of
the Bechuanas
than they deserved, was once cheated by them in a very
ingenious
manner. He had purchased three ivory rings with some
tobacco, but
when he left the place he found that the same ring had
been sold to him
three successive times, the natives behind him having
picked his pockets
with the dexterity of a London thief, and then passed
the ring to their
companions to be again offered for sale.
Altogether, the character of the Bechuanas does not seem
to be an
agreeable one, and even the missionaries who have gone
among them,
and naturally are inclined to look on the best side of
their wild flocks,
have very little to say in their favor, and plenty to
say against them.
They seem to be as heartless toward the infirm and aged
as the Nama-
quas, and if one of their number is ill or wounded, so
that he cannot
wait upon himself, he is carried outside the camp, and
there left until he
recovers or dies. A small and frail hut is built for
him, a portion of food
is given to him daily, and in the evening a fire is made,
and fuel placed
near so that it may be kept up. On one occasion the son
of a chief was
wounded by a buffalo, and, according to ancient custom,
was taken out
of the camp. The fire happened to go out, and in consequence
a lion
came and carried off the wounded man in the night. It
was once thought
that this cruel custom arose from the fear of infection,
but this is evi-
dently not the case, as persons afflicted with infectious
diseases are not
disturbed as long as they can help themselves. Superstition
may prob-
ably be the true reason for it.
A Horrible Deed.
They have but little regard for human life, especially
that of a woman,
and a husband may kill his wife if he likes, without
any particular notice
being taken of it. One traveller mentions that a husband
became angry
with his wife about some trifling matter, seized his
assagai, and killed her
on the spot. The body was dragged out by the heels, and
thrown into
the bush to be devoured by the hysenas, and there was
an end of the
whole business. The traveller, being horrified by such
an action, laid an
information before the chief, and was only laughed at
for his pains, the
chief thinking that for anyone to be shocked at so ordinary
an occur-
rence was a very good joke.
Still, the Bechuana has his redeeming qualities. They
are not quar-
relsome, and Burchell remarks that, during all the time
which he spent
among them, he never saw two men openly quarrelling,
nor any public
breach of decorum. They are persevering and industrious
in the arts of
peace, and, as has been seen, learn to work in iron and
to carve wood
with a skill that can only be attained by long and careful
practice. They
are more attached to the soil than many of the neighboring
tribes, culti-
vating it carefully, and in this art far surpassing the
Kaffirs. Their
houses, too, are of elaborate construction, and built
with a care and so-
lidity which show that the inhabitants are not nomads,
but residents on
one spot.
The government of the Bechuanas is primarily monarchical,
but not
entirely despotic. The king has his own way in most matters,
but his
chiefs can always exercise a check upon him by summoning
a parliament,
or " Picho," as it is called. The Picho affords a truly
wild and pictur-
esque spectacle. The warriors, in their full panoply
of war, seat them-
selves in a circle, in the midst of which is the chair
of the king. The
various speakers take their turns at addressing the assembly,
and speak
with the greatest freedom, not even sparing the king
himself, but pub-
licly arraigning him for any shortcomings, real or fancied,
and sometimes
gaining their point. As to the king himself, he generally
opens the par-
liament with a few sentences, and then remains silent
until all the speeches
have been delivered. He then answers those that have
been made against
himself, and becomes greatly excited, leaping about the
ring, brandishing
his spear and shield, and lashing himself into an almost
frantic state.
This is the usual procedure among savages, and the more
excited a man
becomes, the better he is supposed to speak afterward.
An African Congress.
An extract from Mr. Moffatt's account of a Picho will
give a good idea
of the proceedings: Although the whole exhibits a veiy
grotesque scene,
business is carried on wiih the most perfect order. There
is but little
cheering, and still less hissing, while every speaker
fearlessly states his
own sentiments. The audience is seated on the ground,
each man having
before him his war-club. Many were adorned with tiger-skins
and tails,
and had plumes of feathers waving on their heads. In
the centre a suffi-
cient space was left for the privileged those who had
killed an enemy
in battle to dance and sing, in which they exhibited
the most violent
and fantastic gestures conceivable, which drew forth
from the spectators
the most clamorous applause.
When they retire to their seats, the speaker commences
by command-
ing silence. "Be silent, ye Batlapis, be silent, ye Barolongs,"
addressing
each tribe distinctly, not excepting the white people,
if any happen to be
present, and to which each responds with a groan. He
then takes from
his shield a spear, and points it in the direction in
which the enemy is
advancing, imprecating a curse upon them, and thus declaring
war by re-
peatedly thrusting his spear in that direction, as if
plunging it into an
enemy. This receives a loud whistling sound of applause.
He next
directs his spear toward the Bushman country, south and
southwest,
imprecating also a curse on those " ox-eaters," as they
are called.
The king, on this, as on all similar occasions, introduced
the business
of the day by " Ye sons of Molchabanque " viewing all
the influential
men present as the friends or allies of his kingdom,
which rose to more
than its former eminence under the reign of that monarch,
his father
" the Mantatees are a strong and victorious people ;
they have over-
whelmed many nations, and they are approaching to destroy
us. We
have been apprised of their manners, their deeds, their
weapons, and their
intentions ! We cannot stand against the Mantatees ;
we must now
concert, conclude, and be determined to stand.
Thrilling War-Songs.
"The case is a great one. I now wait to hear what the
general
opinion is. Let every one speak his mind, and then I
shall speak
again." Mothibi manoeuvred his spear as at the commencement,
and
then pointing it toward heaven, the audience shouted
"Pula" (rain), on
which he sat down amidst a din of applause. Between each
speaker a
part or verse of a war-song is sung, the same antics
are then performed,
and again universal silence is commanded.
When several speakers had delivered their sentiments,
chiefly exhort-
ing to unanimity and courage, Mothibi resumed his central
position, and
after the usual gesticulations, commanded silence. Having
noticed some
remarks of the preceding speakers, he added : " It is
evident that the best
plan is to proceed against the enemy, that they come
no nearer. Let not
our towns be the seat of war ; let not our houses be
the scenes of blood-
shed and destruction. No ! let the blood of the enemy
be spilt at a dis-
tance from our wives and children." Turning to the aged
chief, he said :
"I hear you, my father; I understand you, my father;
your words are
true, they are good for the ear ; it is good that we
be instructed by the
Makooas ; I wish those evil who will not obey ; I wish
that they may be
broken into pieces."
Then addressing the warriors, " There are many of you
who do
not deserve to eat out of a bowl, but only out of a broken
pot ; think
on what has been said, and obey without murmuring. I
command you,
ye chiefs of the Batlapis, Batlares, Bamairis, Barolongs,
and Bakotus, that
you acquaint all your tribes of the proceedings of this
day ; let none
be ignorant; I say again, ye warriors, prepare for the
battle; let your
shields be strong, your quivers full of arrows, and your
battle-axes
as sharp as hunger. Be silent, ye kidney-eaters " (addressing
the old
men), " ye are of no further use but to hang about for
kidneys when
an ox is slaughtered. If your oxen are taken, where will
you get any
more?" This was the chief's spirited address to the men.
Eloquent Appeal to Women.
Turning to the women he said, " Prevent not the warrior
from going
out to battle by your cunning insinuations. No, rouse
the warrior to
glory, and he will return with honorable scars, fresh
marks of valor will
cover his thighs, and we shall then renew the war-song
and dance, and
relate the story of our conquest." At the conclusion
of this speech the
air was rent with acclamations, the whole assembly occasionally
joining
in the dance; the women frequently taking the weapons
from the bands
of the men and brandishing them in the most violent manner,
people of all
ages using the most extravagant and frantic gestures
for nearly two hours.
In explanation of the strange word, "kidney-eaters," the
reader must
be made aware that kidneys are eaten only by the old
of both sexes.
Young people will not touch them on any account, from
the superstitious
idea that they can have no children if they do so. The
word of applause,
"pula," or rain, is used metaphorically to signify that
the words of the
speaker are to the hearers like rain on a thirsty soil.
In the last few lines of the king's speech, mention is
made of the
"honorable scars upon the thighs." He is here alluding
to a curious
practice among the Bechuanas. After a battle, those who
have killed an
enemy assemble by night, and, after exhibiting the trophies
of their
prowess, each goes to the prophet or priest, who takes
a sharp assagai
and makes a long cut from the hip to the knee. One of
these cuts is
made for each enemy that has been slain, and some distinguished
war-
riors have their legs absolutely striped with scars.
The Order of the Scar.
As the wound is a tolerably deep one, and as ashes are
plentifully rubbed
'into it, the scar remains for life, and is more conspicuous
than it would be
in an American, leaving a white track upon the dark skin.
In spite of
the severity of the wound, all of the successful warriors
join in a dance,
which is kept up all night, and only terminates at sunrise.
No one is
allowed to make the cut for himself, and anyone who did
so would at
once be detected by the jealous eyes of his companions.
Moreover, in
order to substantiate his claim, each warrior is obliged
to produce his
trophy a small piece of flesh with the skin attached,
cut from the body
of his foe.
When the ceremony of investiture with the Order of the
Scar takes
place, a large fire is made, inside which no one may
pass except the priest
and those who can show a trophy. On the outside of the
fence are con-
gregated the women and all the men who have not been
fortunate enough
to distinguish themselves. One by one the warriors advance
to the
priest, show the trophy, have it approved, and then take
their place round
the fire. Each man then lays the trophy on the glowing
coals, and, when it
is thoroughly roasted, eats it. This custom arises from
a notion that the
courage of the slain warrior then passes into the body
of the man who
killed him, and aids also in making him invulnerable.
The Bechuanas
do not like this custom, but, on the contrary, view it
with nearly as much
abhorrence as Europeans can do, only yielding to it from
a desire not to
controvert the ancient custom of their nation.
Butchery for Glory.
It may well be imagined that this ceremony incites the
warriors, both
old and young, to distinguish themselves in battle, in
order that they may
have the right of entering the sacred fence, and be publicly
invested with
the honorable scar of valor. On one such occasion, a
man who was well
known for his courage could not succeed in killing any
of the enemy,
because their numbers were so comparatively small that
all had been
killed before he could reach them. At night he was almost
beside him-
self with anger and mortification, and positively wept
with rage at being
excluded from the sacred enclosure. At last he sprang
away from the
place, ran at full speed to his house, killed one of
his own servants, and
returned to the spot, bringing with him the requisite
passport of admit-
tance. In this act he was held to be perfectly justified,
because the slain
man was a captive taken in war, and therefore, according
to Bechuanan ^
ideas, his life belonged to' his master, and could be
taken whenever it
might be more useful to him than the living slave.
In war, the Bechuanas are but cruel enemies, killing the
wounded with-
out mercy, and even butchering the inoffensive women
and children. The
desire to possess the coveted trophy of success is probably
the cause of
their ruthlessness. In some divisions of the Bechuana
tribes, such as the
Bachapins, the successful warriors do not eat the trophy,
but dry it and
hang it round their necks, eating instead a portion of
the liver of the slain
man. In all cases, however, it seems that some part of
the enemy has to
be eaten.
The weapons used in war are not at all like those which
are employed
by the Kaffirs. The Bechuanan shield is much smaller
than that of the
Kaffirs. The assagai is not intended to be used as a
missile, but as a
weapon for hand-to-hand combat. Indeed, the amount of
labor which is
bestowed upon it renders it too valuable to be flung
at an enemy, who
might avoid the blow, and then seize the spear and keep
it.
The Bechuanas have one weapon which is very effective
at close quar-
ters. This is the battle-axe. Various as are the shapes
of the heads,
they are all made on one principle, and, in fact, an
axe is nothing more
than an enlarged spearhead fixed transversely on the
handle. The ordi-
nary battle-axes have their heads fastened to wooden
handles, but the
best examples have the handles made of rhinoceros horn.
Dr. Livingstone was greatly interested in these barbarous
people. He
studied their customs, their domestic life, their warfare,
their traditions,
their very thoughts. By a long residence among them he
became thor-
oughly acquainted with everything of interest pertaining
to them. The
wild life of Africa did not daunt our renowned explorer;
he had gone to
the Dark Continent knowing how dark it was. To Livingstone
belongs
the credit of carrying the light of knowledge and religion
to this remark-
able people.
Strange Superstitions.
Of religion the Bechuanans knew nothing, though they have
plenty of
superstition, and are as utter slaves to their witch
doctors as can well be
conceived. The life of one of these personages is full
of danger. He
practises his arts with the full knowledge that if he
should fail, death is
nearly certain fo be the result. Indeed, it is very seldom
that a witch
doctor, especially if he should happen to be also a rain-maker,
dies a
natural death- he generally falling a victim to the clubs
of his quondam
followers.
These men evidently practice the art of conjuring, as
we understand
the word; and they can perform their tricks with great
dexterity. One
of these men exhibited several of his performances to
Mr. Baines, the
well-known traveller, and displayed no small ingenuity
in the magic art.
Hie first trick was to empty, or to appear to empty,
a skin bag and an
old hat, and then to shake the bag over the hat, when
a piece of meat or
hide fell from the former into the latter. Another performance
was to
tie up a bead necklace in a wisp of grass, and hand it
to one of the
white spectators to burn. He then passed the bag to the
most incredu-
lous of the spectators, allowed him to feel it and prove
that it was empty,
while the hat was being examined by Mr. Baines and a
friend. Calling
out to the holder of the bag, he pretended to throw something
through
the air, and, when the bag was duly shaken, out fell
the beads into
the 'hat.
This was really a clever trick, and, though any reader
who has some
practical acquaintance with the art of legerdemain can
see how it was
done, it is not a little surprising to see such dexterity
possessed by a sav-
age. The success of this trick was the more remarkable
because the
holder of the bag had rather unfairly tried to balk the
performer.
Tlie Conjurer Exposed.
On a subsequent occasion, however, the conjurer attempted
the same
trick, varjn'ng it by requesting the beads should be
broken instead of
burned. The holder of the beads took the precaution of
marking them
with ink before breaking them, and in consequence all
the drumming of
the conjurer could not reproduce them until after dark,
when another
string of beads, precisely similar in appearance, was
found under the
wagon. Being pressed on the subject, the conjurer admitted
that they
were not the same beads, but said that they had been
sent supernaturally
to replace those which had been broken.
The same operator was tolerably clever at tricks with
cord,
but had to
confess that a nautical education conferred advantages
in that respect to
which his supernatural powers were obliged to yield.
He once invited
Mr. Baines to see him exhibit his skill in the evening.
A circle of girls
and women now surrounded the wizard, and commenced a
pleasing but
monotonous chant, clapping their hands in unison, while
he, seated alter-
nately on a carved stool and on a slender piece of reed
covered with a
skin to prevent its hurting him, kept time for the hand-clapping,
and
seemed trying to work himself up to the required state
of inspiration, till
his whole flesh quivered like that of a person in the
ague.
A few preparatory anointings of the joints of all his
limbs, his breast
and forehead, as well as those of his choristers, followed
; shrill whistlings
were interchanged with spasmodic gestures, and now it
was found that the
exhibition of the evening was a bona fide medical operation
on the person
of a man who lay covered with skins outside of the circle.
The posterior
portion of the thigh was chosen for scarification, but
as the fire gave no
light in that direction, and the doctor and the relatives
liked no one to
touch the patient, no one could ascertain how deep the
incisions were made.
Most probably, from the scars seen of former operations
of the kind, they
were merely deep enough to draw blood.
Curing a Sick Man.
The singing and hand-clapping now grew more vehement,
the doctor
threw himself upon the patient, perhaps sucked the wound,
at all events
pretended to inhale the disease. Strong convulsions seized
him, and, as
he was a man of powerful frame, it required no little
strength to hold him.
At length, with upturned eyes and face expressive of
suffocation, he seized
his knife, and, thrusting it into his mouth, took out
a large piece appar-
ently of hide and flesh, which his admiring audience
supposed him to
have previously drawn from the body of the patient, thus
removing the
c:ause of the disease.
Sometimes the Bechuana doctor uses a sort of dice, if
such a term
may be used when speaking of objects totally unlike the
dice which are
used in this country. In form they are pyramidal, and
are cut from the
cloven hoof of a small antelope. These articles do not
look very valuable,
but they are held in the highest estimation, inasmuch
as very few know
how to prepare them, and they are handed down from father
to son
through successive generations. The older they are, the
more powerful
are they supposed to be, and a man who is fortunate enough
to possess
tliem can scarcely be induced to part with them.
These magic dice are used when the proprietor wishes to
know the
result of some undertaking. He smooths a piece of ground
with his
hand, holds the dice between his fingers, moves his hands
up and down
several times, and then allows them to fall. He then
scans them care-
fully, and judges from their position what they fortell.
The characters
or figures described on the surface have evidently some
meaning, but
what their signification was the former possessor either
did not know, or
did not choose to communicate.
A Charm for the Neck.
The children, when they first begin to trouble themselves
and their
parents by the process of teething, are often furnished
with a kind of
amulet. It is made of a large African beetle. A number
of them are
killed, dried, and then strung on leathern thongs, so
as to be worn round
the neck. These objects have been mistaken for whistles.
The Bechu-
anas have great faith in their powers when used for teething,
and think
that they are efficacious in preventing various infantile
disorders.
Like the Kaffirs, the Bechuanas make use of certain religious
cere-
monies before they go to war. One of these rites consists
of laying a
charm on the cattle, so that they shall not be seized
by the enemy. The
oxen are brought singly to the priest, if we may so call
him, who is
furnished with a pot of black paint, and a jackal's tail
by way of a brush.
With this primitive brush he makes a certain mark upon
the hind leg of
the animal, while at the same time an assistant, who
kneels behind him,
repeats the mark in miniature upon his back or arms.
To this ceremony
they attribute great value; and, as war is almost invariably
made for the
sake of cattle, the Bechuanas may well be excused for
employing any
rite which they fancy will protect such valued possessions.
Among one branch of the Bechuana tribe, a very remarkable
ceremony
is observed when the boys seek to be admitted into the
rank of men.
The details are kept very secret, but a few of the particulars
have been;
discovered. Dr. Livingstone, for example, happened once
to witness the
second stage of the ceremonies, which last for a considerable
time.
A number of boys, about fourteen years of age, without
a vestige of
clothing, stood in a row, and opposite those was an equal
number of men,
each having in his hand a long switch cut from a bush
belonging to the
genus Grewia, and called in the native language moretloa.
The twigs of
this bush are very strong, tough, and supple. Both the
men and boys
were engaged in an odd kind of dance, called "koha,"
which the men
evidently enjoyed, and the boys had to look as if they
enjoyed it too. .
Each boy was furnished with a pair of the ordinary hide
sandals, which ,
he wore on his hands instead of his feet. At stated intervals,
the men
put certain questions to the boys, respecting their future
life work,
admitted into the society of men.
Barbarous Practices.
For example, the youth is tried in some such way as the
following:
"Will you herd the cattle well? " asks the man.
"I will," answers the boy, at the same time lifting his
sandalled hands,
over his head. The man then leaps forward, and with his
full force
strikes at the boy's head. The blow is received on the
uplifted sandals,
but the elasticity of the long switch causes it to curl
over the boy's head
with such force that a deep gash is made in his back,
some twelve or,
eighteen inches in length, from which the blood spirts
as if it were made,
with a knife. Ever afterward, the lesson that he is to
guard the cattle,
is supposed to be indelibly impressed on the boy's mind.
Then comes another question, " Will you guard the chief
well? "
" I will," replies the boy, and another stroke impresses
that lesson on,
the boy's mind. And thus they proceed, until the whole
series of ques-
tions has been asked and properly answered. The worst
part of the.
proceeding is, that the boys are obliged, under penalty
of rejection, to
continue their dance, to look pleased and happy, and
not to wince at the
terrible strokes which cover their bodies with blood,
and seam their,
backs with scars that last throughout their lifetime.
Painful as this ordeal
must be, the reader must not think that it is nearly
so formidable to the;
Bechuanas as it would be to Americans. In the first place,
the nervous,
system of a white man is far more sensitive than that
of South African,
natives, and injuries which would lay him prostrate have
but little effect
upon them. Moreover, their skin, from constant exposure
to the ele-
ments, is singularly insensible, so that the stripes
do not inflict a tenth
part of the pain that they would if suffered by a white
person.
Only the older men are allowed to take part in this mode
of instruc--
tion of the boys, and if any man should attempt it who
is not qualified
he is unpleasantly reminded of his presumption by receiving
on his own
back the stripes which he intended to inflict on the
boys, the old men
being in such a case simultaneously judges and executioners.
No eleva-
tion of rank will allow a man to thus transgress with
impunity ; and on
one occasion, Sekomi himself, the chief of the tribe,
received a severe
blow on the leg from one of his own people. This kind
of ordeal, called
the Sechu, is only practised am9ng three tribes, one
of which is the Ba-
mangwato, of which Sekomi was the chief.
It takes place every six or seven years, so that a large
number of boys
are collected. These are divided into bands, each of
which is under the
command of one of the sons of the chief, and each member
is supposed
to be a companion of his leader for life. They are taken
into the woods
by the old men, where they reside for some time, and
where, to judge
from their scarred and seamed backs, their residence
does not appear to
be of the most agreeable description. When they have
passed through
the different stages of the boguera, each band becomes
a regiment or
"mopato," and goes by its own name.
According to Dr. Livingstone, they recognize a sort of
equality and
partial communion afterward, and address each other by
the name of
Molekane, or comrade. In cases of offence against their
rules, as eating
alone when any of their comrades are within call, or
in cases of derelic-
tion of duty, they may strike one another, or any member
of a younger
mopato, but never one of an older band ; and, when three
or four com-
panies have been made, the oldest no longer takes the
field in time of
war, but remains as a guard over the women and children.
When a
fugitive comes to a tribe, he is directed to the mopato
analogous to that
to which in his own tribe he belongs, and does duty as
a member.
The girls have to pass an ordeal of a somewhat similar
character be-
fore they are admitted among the women, and can hope
to attain the
summit of an African girl's hopes, namely, to be married.
If possible,
the details of the ceremony are kept even more strictly
secret than is the
case with the boys, but a part of it necessarily takes
place in public, and
is therefore well known.
How African Girls are Toughened
The girls are commanded by an old and experienced woman,
always a
stern and determined personage, who carries them off
into the woods,
and there instructs them in all the many arts which they
will have to
practise when married. Clad in a strange costume, composed
of ropes
of melon-seeds and bits of quill, the ropes being passed
over both
shoulders and across their bodies in a figure-of-eight
position, they are
drilled into walking with large pots of water on their
heads. Wells are
purposely chosen which are at a considerable distance,
in order to inure
the girls to fatigue, and the monitress always chooses
the most inclement
days for sending them to the greatest distance. They
have to carry
heavy loads of wood, to handle agricultural tools, to
build houses, and,
in fact, to practise before marriage those tasks which
are sure to fall to
their lot afterward.
Capability of enduring pain is also insisted upon, and
the monitress
tests their powers by scorching their arms with burning
charcoal. Of
course, all these severe labors require that the hands
should be hard and
horny, and accordingly the last test which the girls
have to endure is
holding in the hand for a certain time a piece of hot
iron.
Rough and rude as this school of instruction may be, its
purport is
judicious enough; inasmuch as when the girls are married,
and enter
upon their new duties, they do so with a full and practical
knowledge of
them, and so escape the punishment which they would assuredly
receive
if they were to fail in their tasks. The name of the
ceremony is called
"Bogale." During the time that it lasts, the girls enjoy
several privi-
leges, one of which is highly prized. If a boy who has
not passed
through his ordeal should come in their way, he is at
once pounced upon
and held down by some, while others bring a supply of
thorn-branches,
and beat him seveMy with this unpleasant rod. Should
they be in suffi-
cient numbers, they are not very particular whether the
trespasser be
protected by the boguera or not; and instances have been
known when
they have captured adult men, and disciplined them so
severely that they
bore the scars ever afterward.
Uncleanly Mode of Eating,
In their feeding they are not particularly cleanly, turning
meat about
on the fire with their fingers, and then rubbing their
hands on their
bodies, for the sake of the fat which adheres to them.
Boiling, however,
is the usual mode of cooking and when eating it they
place a lump of
meat in the mouth, seize it with the teeth, hold it in
the left hand so as
to stretch it as far as possible, and then with a neat
upward stroke of a
knife or spear-head, cut off the required morsel. This
odd mode of eat-
ing meat may be found among the Abyssinians and the Esquimaux,
and
in each case it is a marvel how the men avoid cutting
off their noses.
The following is a description of one of the milk bags:
It is made
from the skin of some large animal, such as an ox or
a zebra, and is
rather more than two feet in length and one in width.
It is formed from
a tough piece of hide, which is cut to the proper shape
and then turned
over and sewed, the seams being particularly firm and
strong. The hide
of the quagga is said to be the best, as it gives to
the milk a peculiar
flavor, which is admired, by the natives.
The skin is taken from the back of the animal, that being
the strongest
part. It is first stretched on the ground with wooden
pegs, and the hair
-scraped off with an adze. It is then cut to the proper
shape, and
soaked in water until soft enough to be worked. Even
with care,
these bags are rather perishable articles; and when used
for water,
they do not last so long as when they are employed for
milk.
A rather large opening is left at the top, and a small
one at the bottom,
both of which are closed by conical plugs. ' Through
the upper orifice
the milk is poured into the bag in a fresh state, and
removed when
coagulated; and through the lower aperture the whey is
drawn off as
v/anted. As is the case with the Kaffir milk baskets,
the Bechuana milk
bags are never cleaned, a small amount of sour milk being
always left in
them, so as to aid in coagulating the milk, which the
natives never drink
in a fresh state.
Skillful Carving.
When traveling, the Bechuanas hang their milk bags on
the backs of
oxen ; and it sometimes happens that the jolting of the
oxen, and con-
sequent shaking of the bag, causes the milk to be partially
churned, so-
that small pieces of butter are found floating in it.
The butter is very
highly valued ; but it is not eaten, being reserved for
the more important
office of greasing the hair or skin.
The spoons which the Bechuanas use are often carved in
the most
elaborate manner. In general shape they resemble those
used by the
Kaffirs who, by the way, sometimes purchase better
articles from the
Bechuanas but the under surface of the bowl is entirely
covered with,
designs, which are always effective, and in many cases
are absolutely
artistic from the boldness and simplicity of the designs.
Livingstone had
some spoons, in all of which the surface had first been
charred and pol-
ished, and then the pattern cut rather deeply, so as
to leave yellowish-
white lines in bold contrast with the jetty black of
the uncut portion-
Sometimes it happens that, when they are traveling, and
have no spoons
with them, the Bechuanas rapidly scoop up their broth
in the right hand,
throw it into the palm o:^ the left, and then fling it
into the mouth,,
taking care to lick the hands clean after the operation.
Music and Dancing.
Music is practised by the Bechuana tribes, who do not
use the goura,
but merely employ a kind of reed pipe. The tunes that
are played upon
this instrument are of a severely simple character, being
limited to a
single note, repeated as often as the performer chooses
to play it. A
very good imitation of Bechuanan instrumental music may
be obtained
by taking a penny whistle, and blowing it at intervals.
In default of a
whistle, a key will do quite as well. Vocal music is
known better among
the Bechuanas than among most other tribes or, at all
events, is not
so utterly opposed to American ideas of the art. The
melody is simple
enough, consisting chiefly of descending and ascending
by thirds ; and
they have a sufficient appreciation of harmony to sing
in two parts with-
out producing the continuous discords which delight the
soul of the
Hottentot tribes.
These reed pipes, called "lichaka," are of various
lengths, and are
blown exactly like Pandean pipes, that is, transversely
across the orifice,
which is cut with a slight slope. Each individual has
one pipe only, and,
as above stated, can only play one note. But the Bechuanas
have enough
musical ear to tune their pipes to any required note,
which they do by
pushing or withdrawing a movable plug which closes the
reed at the
lower end.
When a number of men assemble for the purpose of singing
and danc-
ing, they tune their pipes beforehand, taking great pains
in getting the
precise note which they want, and being as careful about
it as if they be-
longed to an American orchestra. The general effect of
these pipes,
played together, and with certain intervals, is by no
means inharmonious,
and has been rather happily compared to the sound of
sleigh or wagon
bells. The correct method of holding the pipe is to place
the thumb
against the cheek, and the forefinger over the upper
lip, while the other
three fingers hold the instrument firmly in its place.
These little instru-
ments run through a scale of some eleven or twelve notes.
Graceful Movements.
The dances of the Bechuanas are somewhat similar to those
of the
Amakosa and other Kaffirs ; but they have the peculiarity
of using a
rather remarkable headdress when they are in full ceremonial
costume.
This is made from porcupine quills arranged in a bold
and artistic man-
ner, so as to form a kind of coronet. None of the stiff
and short quills
of the porcupine are used for this purpose, but only
the long and slender
quills which adorn the neck of the animal, and, in consequence
of their
great proportionate length, bend over the back in graceful
curves.
These headdresses are worn by the men, who move themselves
about so
as to cause the pliant quills to wave backward and forward,
and so con-
trive to produce a really graceful effect. The headdress
is not considered
an essential part of the dance, but is used on special
occasions.
When dancing, they arrange themselves in a ring, all looking
inward,
but without troubling themselves about their number or
any particular
arrangement. The size of the ring depends entirely upon
the number of
dancers, as they press closely together. Each is at liberty
to use any step
which he may think proper to invent, and to blow his
reed pipe at any
intervals that may seem most agreeable to him. But each
man contrives
to move very slowly in a slanting direction, so that
the whole ring re-
volves on the same spot, making, on an average, one revolution
per
minute.
The direction in which it moves seems perfectly indifferent,
as at one
time it will revolve from right to left, and then, without
any apparent rea-
son, the motion is reversed. Dancers enter and leave
the ring just as
they feel inclined, some of the elders only taking part
in the dance for a
few minutes, and others dancing for hours in succession,
merely retiring
occasionally to rest their wearied limbs. The dancers
scarcely speak at
all when engaged in this absorbing amusement, though
they accompany
their reed whistles with native songs. Round the dancers
is an external
ring of women and girls, who follow them as they revolve,
and keep time
to their movements by clapping their hands.
Substitute for Handkerchief.
As is usual in this country, a vast amount of exertion
is used in the
dance, and, as a necessary consequence, the dancers are
bathed in per-
spiration, and further inconvenienced by the melting
of the grease with
which their heads and bodies are thickly covered. A handkerchief
would
be the natural resort of an American under such circumstances;
but the
native of Southern Africa does not possess such an article,
and therefore
is obliged to make use of an implement which seems rather
ill adapted
for its purpose. It is made from the bushy tail of jackals,
and is prepared
as follows: The tails are removed from the animals, and,
while they are
yet fresh, the skin is stripped from the bones, leaving
a hollow tube of
fur-clad skin. Three or four of these tails are thus
prepared, and through
them is thrust a stick, generally about four feet in
length, so that .the tail
forms a sort of long and very soft brush.
This is used as a handkerchief, not only by the Bechuanas,
but by many
of the neighboring tribes, aiid is thought a necessary
part of a Bechuana's
wardrobe. The stick on which they are fixed is cut from
the very heart
of the kameel-dorn acacia, where the wood is peculiarly
hard and black,
and a very great amount of labor is expended on its manufacture.
A
chief will sometimes have a far more valuable implement,
which he uses
for the same purpose. Instead of being made of mere jackal
tails, it is
formed from ostrich feathers.
The remarkable excellence of the Bechuanas in the arts
of peace should
be noticed. They are not only the best fur-dressers and
metal-workers,
but they are pre-eminent among all the tribes of that
portion of Africa in
their architecture. Not being a nomad people, and being
attached to the
soil, they have no idea of contenting themselves with
the mat-covered
cages of the Hottentots, or with the simple wattle-and-daub
huts of the
Kaffirs. They do not merely build huts, but erect houses,
and display
an ingenuity in their construction that is perfectly
astonishing. Whence
they derived their architectural knowledge, no one knows.
Why the
Kaffirs, who are also men of the soil, should not have
learned from their
neighbors how to build better houses, no one can tell.
The fact remains,
that the Bechuana is simply supreme in architecture,
and there is no
neighboring tribe that is even worthy to be ranked in
the second class.
The house of Dingan, the great Kaffir despot, was exactly
like that of
any of his subjects, only larger, and the supporting
posts covered with
beads. Now a Bechuana of very moderate rank would be
ashamed of
such an edifice by way of a residence ; and even the
poor if we may use
the word can build houses for themselves quite as good
as that of
Dingan. Instead of being round-topped, as is the case
with the Kaffir
huts, the houses of the Bechuanas are conical, and the
shape may be
roughly defined by saying that a Bechuana's hut looks
something like a
huge whipping-top with its point upward. It resembles
the curious houses
built by that marvellous insect, the white ant, itself
one of the wonders
of the Tropics.
A man of moderate rank makes his house in the following
manner
or, rather, orders his wives to build it for him, the
women being the only
architects. First, a number of posts are cut from the
kameel-dorn acacia-
tree, their length varying according to the office which
they have to fulfil.
Supposing, for example, that the house had to be sixteen
or twenty feet
in diameter, some ten or twelve posts are needed, which
will be about
nine feet in height when planted in the ground. These
are placed in a
circle and firmly fixed at tolerably equal distances.
Next comes a smaller
circle of much smaller posts, which, when fixed in the
ground, measure,
from fifteen to eighteen feet in height, one of them
being longer than the
rest. Both the circles of posts are connected with beams
which are
fastened to their tops.
The next process is to lay a sufficient quantity of rafters
on these posts,
so that they all meet at one point, and these are tightly
lashed together.
This point is seldom in the exact centre, so that the
hut always looks
rather lop-sided. A roof made of reeds is then placed
upon the rafters,
and the skeleton of the house is complete. The thatch
is held in its
place by a number of long and thin twigs, which are bent,
and the end
thrust into the thatch. These twigs are set in parallel
rows, and hold the
thatch firmly together. The slope of the roof is rather
slight, and is
always that of a depressed cone, but it is sufficient
to carry off the water
and keep the interior dry.
Singular Walls for Houses.
Now come the walls. The posts which form the outer circle
are con-
nected with a wall sometimes about six feet high, but
frequently only two
feet or so. But the wall which connects the inner circle
is eight or ten
feet in height, and sometimes reaches nearly to the roof
of the house.
These walls are generally made of the mimosa thorns,
which are so inge-
niously woven that the garments of those who pass by
are in no danger,
while they effectually prevent even the smallest animal
from creeping
through. The inside of the wall is strengthened as well
as smoothed by
a thick coating of clay. The family live in the central
compartment of
the house, while the servants inhabit the other portion,
which also serves
as a verandah in which the family can sit in the daytime,
and enjoy the
double benefit of fresh air and shade.
Around this house is a tolerably high paling, made in
a similar fashion
of posts and thorns, and within this enclosure the cattle
are kept, when
their owner is rich enough to build an enclosure for
their especial use.
This fence, or wall, as it may properly be called, is
always very firmly
built, and sometimes is of very strong construction.
It is on an average
six feet high, and is about two feet and a half wide
at the bottom, and a
foot or less at the top. It is made almost entirely of
small twigs and
branches, placed upright, and nearly parallel with each
other, but so
iirmly interlaced that they form an admirable defence
against the assagai,
while near the bottorn the wall is so strong as to stop
an ordinary bullet.
A few inches from the top the wall is strengthened by
a double band
of twigs, one band being outside, and the other in the
interior.
Protection Against Fire.
The doorways of a Buchuana hut are rather curiously constructed.
An aperture is made in the wall, larger above than below,
so as to suit
the shape of a human being, whose shoulders are wider
than his feet.
This formation serves two purposes. In the first place
it lessens the size
of the aperture, and so diminishes the amount of the
draught, and, in the
next place, it forms a better defence against an adversary
than if it were
of larger size, and reaching to the ground.
The fireplace is situated outside the hut, though within
the fence, the
13echuanas having a very wholesome dread of fire, and
being naturally
anxious that their elaborately built houses should not
be burnt down.
Outside the house, but within the enclosure, is the corn-house.
This is a
smaller hut, constructed in much the same manner as the
dwelling-house,
and containing the supply of corn. This is kept in jars,
one of which is
of prodigious size, and would quite throw into the shade
the celebrated
oil jars in which the "Forty Thieves " hid themselves.
There is also a
separate house in which the servants sleep.
This corn jar is made of twigs plaited and woven into
form, and
strengthened by sticks thrust into the ground, so that
it is irremovable,
even if its huge dimensions did not answer that purpose.
The jar is
plastered both on the outside and the interior with clay,
so that it forms
an admirable protection for the corn. These jars are
sometimes six feet
in height and three in width, and their shape almost
exactly resembles
that of the oil jars of Europe, The best specimens are
raised six or seven
inches from the ground, the stakes which form their scaffolding
answer-
ing the purpose of legs. Every house has one such jar
and in the
abode of wealthy persons there is generally one large
jar and a number
of smaller ones, all packed.
Curious Burial Customs.
The burial of the dead is conducted after a rather curious
manner.
The funeral ceremonies actually begin before the sick
person is dead^
and must have the effect of hastening dissolution. As
soon as the rela-
tions of the sick man see that his end is near, they
throw over him a
mat, or sometimes a skin, and draw it together until
the enclosed indi-
vidual is forced into a sitting, or rather a crouching
posture, with the
arms bent, the head bowed, and the knees brought into
contact with the
chin. In this uncomfortable position the last spark of
life soon expires,
and the actual funeral begins.
The relatives dig a grave, generally within the cattle
fence, not shaped
as is the case in our own country, but a mere round hole,
about three
feet in diameter. The interior of this strangely shaped
grave is then
rubbed with a bulbous root. An opening is then made in
the fence
surrounding the house, and the body is carried through
it, still enveloped
in the mat, and with a skin thrown over the head. It
is then lowered
into the grave, and great pains are taken to place it
exactly facing the
north, an operation which* consumes much time, but which
is achieved at
last with tolerable accuracy.
When they have settled this point to their satisfaction,
they bring
fragments of an anthill, wigch is the best and finest
clay that can be pro-
duced, and lay it carefully about the feet of the corpse,
over which it is
pressed by two men who stand in the grave for that purpose.
More and
more clay is handed down in wooden bowls, and stamped
firmly down,
the operators raising the mat in proportion as the earth
rises. They take
particular care that not even the smallest pebble shall
mix with the earth
that surrounds the body, and, as the clay is quite free
from stones, it is
the fittest material for their purpose.
How Chiefs are Buried.
As soon as the earth reaches the mouth, a branch of acacia
is placed
in the grave, and some roots of grass laid on the head,
so that part of the
grass projects above the level of the ground. The excavated
soil is then
scooped up so as to make a small mound, over which is
poured several
bowlfuls of water, the spectators meanwhile shouting
out, "Pula ! Pula ! "
as they do when applauding a speaker in parliament. The
weapons and
implements of the deceased are then brought to the grave,
and presented
to him, but they are not left there, as is the case with
some tribes. The
ceremony ends by the whole party leaving the ground,
amid the lamenta-
tions of the women, who keep up a continual wailing cry.
These are the full ceremonials that take place at the
death of a chief
at all events, a man of some importance, but they vary
much according
to the rank of the individual. Sometimes a rain-maker
has forbidden all
sepulchral rites whatever, as interfering with the production
of rain, and
during the time of this interdict every corpse is dragged
into the bush to
be consumed by the hyaenas. Even the very touch of a
dead body is for-
bidden, and, under this strange tyranny, a son has been
seen to fling a
leathern rope round the leg of his dead mother, drag
her body into the bush,
and there leave it, throwing down the rope and abandoning
it, because it
had been defiled by the contact of a dead body, and he
might happen to
touch the part that had touched the corpse.
Almost every African tribe has burial customs peculiar
to itself Some
of the most remarkable of these are met with among the
Latookas :
Funeral ceremonies differ among the Latookas according
to the mode
of death. If a man is killed in battle, the body is not
touched, but is
allowed to remain on the spot where it fell, to be eaten
by the hyaenas
and the vultures. But should a Latooka, whether man,
woman or child,
die a natural death, the body is disposed of in a rather
singular manner.
Immediately after death, a shallow grave is dug in the
enclosure that sur-
rounds each house, and within a few feet of the door.
It is allowed to re-
main here for several weeks, when decomposition is usually
completed.
It is then dug up, the bon^s are cleaned and washed,
and are then placed
in an earthenware jar, and carried about a quarter of
a mile outside the
village.
Horrible Treatment of Human Remains.
No particular sanctity attaches itself either to the bones
or the spot on
which they are deposited. The earthen jars are broken
in course of time
and the bones scattered about, but no one takes any notice
of them. In
consequence of this custom the neighborhood of a large
town presents a
most singular arid rather dismal aspect, the ground being
covered with
bones, skulls, and earthenware jars in various states
of preservation and,
indeed, the traveler always knows when he is approaching
a Latooka
town by coming across a quantity of neglected human remains.
The Latookas have not the least idea why they treat their
dead in this
singular manner, nor why they make so strange a distinction
between the
bodies of warriors who have died the death of the brave
and those who
liave simply died from disease, accident, or decay. Perhaps
there is no
other country where the body of the dead warrior is left
to the beasts
and birds, while those who die natural deaths are so
elaborately buried,
exhumed, and placed in the public cemetery. Why they
do so they do
not seem either to know or to care, and, as far as has
been ascertained,
this is one of the many customs which has survived long
after those who
practise it have forgotten its signification.
During the three or four weeks that elapse between the
interment and
exhumation of the body funeral dances are performed.
Great numbers
of both sexes take part in these dances, for which they
decorate them-
selves in a very singular manner. Their hair helmets
are supplemented
by great plumes of ostrich feathers, each man wearing
as many as
he can manage to fasten on his head, and skins of the
leopard or
monkey are hung from their shoulders. The chief adornment,
how-
ever, is a large iron bell, which is fastened to the
small of the back,
and which is sounded by wriggling the body after a very
ludicrous
fashion.
A large crowd got up in this style created an indescribable
hubbub
heightened by the blowing of horns and the beating of
seven nogaras of
various notes. Every dancer wore an antelope's horn suspended
round
the neck, which he blew occasionally in the height of
his excitement.
These instruments produced a sound partaking of the braying
of a don-
key and the screech of an owl. Crowds of men rushed round
and round,
brandishing their arms and iron-headed maces, and keeping
tolerably in
line five or six deep, following the leader, who headed
them, dancing
backward.
The women kept outside the hne, dancing a slow, stupid
step, while a
long string of young girls and small children, their
heads and necks rub-
bed with red ochre and grease, and prettily ornamented
with strings of
beads round their loins, keep a very good line, beating
time with their
feet, and jingling the numerous iron rings which adorned
their ankles to
keep time to the drums.
One woman attended upon the men, running through the crowd
with
a gourdful of wood-ashes, handfuls of which she showered
over their
heads, powdering them like millers : the object of the
operation no one
could understand. The premiere danseuse was immensely
fat ; she had
passed the bloom of youth, but despite her unwieldy state,
she kept up
the pace to the last, quite unconscious of her general
appearance, and ab-
sorbed with the excitement of the dance.
These strange dances form a part of every funeral, and
so, when sev-
eral persons have died successively, the funeral dances
go on for several
months together. The chief Commoro was remarkable for
his agility in
the funeral dances, and took his part in every such ceremony,
no matter
whether it were lor a wealthy or a poor man, every one
who dies being
equally entitled to the funeral dance without any distinction
of rank or
wealth.
The bells which are so often mentioned in those tribes
inhabiting:
Central Africa are mostly made on one principle, though
not on precisely
the same pattern. These simple bells evidently derive
their origin from
the shells of certain nuts, or other hard fruits, which,
when suspended,
and a wooden clapper hung within them, can produce a
sound of some
resonance.
The next advance is evidently the carving the bell out
of some hard
wood, so as to increase its size and add to the power
of its sound.
Next the superior resonance of iron became apparent,
and little bells
were made, shaped exactly like the before-mentioned nuts.
This point
once obtained, the variety in the shape of the bells
is evidently a mere
matter of caprice on the part of the maker.
CHAPTER IV.
A CELEBRATED AFRICAN TRIBE.
Continued
at 6099_04
