EAST AFRICA 2000 B.C.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1921, Page 4

EAST AFRICA 2000 B.C.

EXPLORER’S ROMANTIC FINDS.

TRIBE AY HO EAT THEIR DEAD

LONDON, Nov. 20.

The Rev John Roscoe, who has just returned from East Africa, gave to a “Daily Mail” representative yesterday in .his little country feetory at Ovington, Thctford, Norfolk, an account of one of the most marvellous journeys ever undertaken by a man of science. lie has brought back curious knowledge and curious concrete things beyond even his own dreams. The things include 50 or so varieties of kerbs—some of which seined to effect miraculous cures for malaria and even the worst venereal diseases-many native poisons, vast cases of fetishes, implements and instruments going hack 1 to 2000 8.C., and photographs innumeri ~!,]<>' of strange and grim ceremonies—- | some cannibalistic —many quite unknown hitherto. The knowledge of ritual and custom is a yet stranger store. Air Roscoe, one of our greatest ethnologists, went out for the Royal Society and the Government in May last year, and the expedition was most generously financed by Sir Peter McKie, to whom j I,oth science and humanity owe great j gratitude. 1 " TRINES WHO GIVE ON MlUv. Mr Roscoe, who is in his 00th year, travelled many thousand miles m the interior on foot and—of all machines l,v bicycle, using native paths. He found tribes who live wholly on milk and nothing else whatever, unless a cow died; and after feeding on that a labours 1 fast was imposed. So vast are their cattle herds that a king regarded 20,000 as a small flock. Another tribe lived wholly on bamboo tips and moles! In another tlm relations always ate the dead, even if they died of small-pox ; hut these folk, which is hardly surprising, Were less healthy than the others, whose women are described as “the fattest things ever seen,” while the men are thin, very athletic, and often well over Oft in height. One of the cannibals stated in evidence that “Englishmen were very tough, hut Indians nice and tender.”

The crown of the expedition was l> weeks spent with the King of Bunvoro. He has become a Christian, and so ielt it possible to give Mr Hoscoe all his fetishes, an entirely priceless collection, which throws quite new light on ceremonies going hack to 2000 B.c. He also organised a pageant of some 4,000 years of ceremonial, such a thing as no man ever saw before. Thousands

of natives themselves came to see it—a sort of grant finale to ages of accumulated superstition. Since tlie King is also High Priest and the great repository of "tradition, he could give away the inmost mysteries and did: How t ' bring rain (a miracle that Air Roscoe achieved in a forest Holy of Holies and received native thanks!); how to piomote all sorts of prosperity—especially plenty of salt; and how to exercise

evils. Bv Ids knowledge of local language and earlier visits Air Roscoe, who was all alone, penetrated many present beliefs and customs that have balked our rulers and our missionaries. For example, in one tribe girls are betrothed at birth and married at 12 or 14. D they are 'unfaithful betnre marriage thev are killed. morality laws.

In the next tribe girls may do as they will after marriage. .Many most elaborate laws of marriage, of morality, „f divorce, and of land tenure have been revealed in the course of the jour-

ney. The discoveries include valuable commercial news, including an unknown graphite mine of high quality. .Mr ttoscoe says tie has material for 5 years’ work at 0 hours a day. He j s as yet without most of his stores. His herbs and poisons are being tested and analysed by Edinburgh University and by Burroughs and Wellcome. A dozen cases of ethnological valuables aie going to the Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford. Mr Roscoe is to give a brief account of bis journey to the Royal Society at the anneal dinner. The journey started at Mombasa, and the most dangerous, difficult, and ne est part was west and north of the \Victoria N.vanza and in the triangle between the three great lakes. Mr K«scoe returned by the Nile and has much to tell the Egyptologists.