QUAINT CUSTOMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1001, 26 September 1912, Page 4

QUAINT CUSTOMS.

IN WEST AFRICA

Mr Broome P. Smith, F.1.G.5., who recently arrived in Sydney, after an extensive tour of West and South Africa, on behalf of the British and Foreign Bible Society, has a very interesting story to tell. His chief work was the study of the various native languages, with a view to the translation of the Bible, and this necessitated considerable travelling through country embracing Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Togoland, Cameron district, to Libreville, and the Slave Coast. The natives, says Mr Smith, have a wonderfully retentive mind, the result of years of memorising. Written history is unknown, and from his earliest days the child is accustomed to hearing the traditions of his people. Of an evening they meet, and the old man of the tribe tells the legend. Thus the traditions are handed down from generation to generation, ever growing and changing slightly, in a similar way to the sagas of the Caucasians.

When asked whether the influence of Dr Livingstone was still felt, Mr Smith said that the Doctor’s name was a passport through the country, and whomever it was mentioned the natives hailed it with joy. Referring to. the many quaint customs prevailing amongst the natives, he mentioned the peculiar shape of the Ashantee’s skull. It was the practice for the mother to bind a hot cloth around the young baby’s head till it was a few days old, in order to produce an elongation of the skull, and so a development of the brain. They certainly had produced a remarkable elongation of the head. In Togoland, children born on a certain day were considered to be dead, and were buried accordingly ; not because the parents wished to kill them, but to keep up an old custom. In the interior he had himself rescued two children who had been buried alive the previous day, but were still conscious. Another custom prevailed amongst the Kansas. Anyone could enter a mosque which had not been paid for with his boots on. But once the debt was wiped off no one could enter unless he was bootless.

Communication between the different villages was maintained by means of “wireless.” A code of signals by beating a drum, a similar system to the Morse code, had been instituted, by which messages were sent tor a distance of ten miles.

Big game, he continued, was still very prevalent, and many an exciting experience he had had in the jungle. It was quite common to have roast beet on the table by the side of hippopotamus, buffalo, and elephant steak. Referring to the elephant, he never could understand how it was that the “devotional” elephant would not take kindly to him, although he was the representative of the British and Foreign Bible Society. This “devotional” elephant was one which would always kneel down and bellow—or, seemingly, says its prayers before charging. It was always advisable for the luckless traveller to say his prayers at the same time, for if he waited till afterwards he would not have the chance. But when travelling without dogs it was quite safe to go up to the elephants and pat them —they were the kings of the forest, and knew it. It was a remarkable fact that when in its wild state an elephant would always die on the left side. Even though it was shot and fell on the right, it would turn over on to the left belore dying. Yes, the roads in Sydney were in a somewhat better condition than in Central Africa. There they were but very lew inches wide, certainly not wide enough to admit of walking properly ; one foot had to be placed directly in front of the other to keep on the track, and to do so was necessary for on either side grew grass 14ft in height, so that it would not be difficult to get lost. He had done so, and knew what it was like. Mr Smith intends staying in Australia, and most likely will lecture in Sydney on his travels. He has a fine collection of lantern slides, from photos which he took during his travels, illustrative of the life and manners of the natives.