MAN AT HIS WORST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 264, 15 December 1909, Page 4

MAN AT HIS WORST

WllElUi Uu.UEX CAUSE THIS TIiOUBLE. A CAVNUIAb i'UPULATIUX. interesting particulars have reached England oi the operations lately undertaken Uy the British among the cannibal and pagan tribes in the remote pans oi Hie province oi Aluri, on the Upper lieuue, .Northern .Nigeria, lu many cases the villages visited had never oelore been seen by a white man.

The relations between the Government and the liui'Kum people had never been friendly, and the three expeditions previously sent against them having no satisfactory result, a fresh force >vas sent into the country in consequence oi attacks upon waders. The people are described as being ot the lowest type, every village being Worsflip consists ot tlie worst form of fetish, in most cases the entire population is stark naked. The first places visited are described as "shocking," the inhabitants being among the lowest. Their persons were so offensive that even the native suldkts were unable to remain near them.

Some hundreds of these pagans assembled while the political oliieer explained to them the wishes of the Ijovernment. As the patrol proceeded they found the inhabitants all working in their fields fully armed with spears and shields. A large meeting 01 the people was called, and it was decided not to agree to the terms proposed ly the British as punishment' for the killing and eating of seven men. On the expiration of twenty-four hours' grace .the force marched into the town, whi.h was cleared after considerable fighting.

The cause of almost all the intertribal fighting is the women, and the very common practice of taking wi»vs without payment. There exists anemg certain of the tribes a custom of a ,c----gular exchange of wives, which load to many complication. At the same lime the married women are perfectly moral, and adultery is unknown. The religious beliefs of these pagms are interesting. They believe in il'.e transmigration of souls, a man being, in their view, re-born by the same mother after death. An evil nian'is soal becomes a witch, whose fate is death by burning. In some cases the people worship a diety who, at their religious celebrations, is represented as armed with a long horn, which he blows at intervals. Sometimes this diety is fuiiv clothed, on other occasions he is absolutely naked. One of the pagan dicties kills all women who see him.