MYSTERIOUS RACE OF GIANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1922, Page 9

MYSTERIOUS RACE OF GIANTS.

TWO COULD KILL AND EAT AN 'ELEPHANT. Some details of a mysteriou's race of giants scarcely known to Europeans, is given by Mr. R. E. Salkeld, Senior Commissioner, who writes from his office at Kismayu to the Geographical Journal. Discussing the inhabitants of Jubaland, Africa, he states that at Port Durnford, on the coast, 80 miles south of Kismayu, there are the remains of a great circular stone wall—with a few remnants of stone houses—capable of containing a large population. This place is called Rendile, and its history is said to have ended in seven years of pestilence, followed by seven years of war. Utterly broken, the survivors of the tribe retreated inland and north-west, apparently finding® an asylum in the deserts only when they had been driven north of Uaso Nyiro and the Lorian Swamp. The Gurre are reported to have occupied the country peacefully because the previous inhabitants had disappeared through constant civil wars. This must have been fortunate for the Gurre, as the earlier people are reported to have been giants, two of whom could not only kill an elephant with spears, but eat it afterwards.

The mysterious people, the Commissioner points out, are known by tradition to nearly all the local natives, but seem unknown to Europeans. They must have been heard of, however, as their name appears on old maps. A War Office map published, in 1903 records the name of the people—Maanthinle.

Mr. Salkeld says he first came across traces of this obscure race in marching from Kismayu to Nairobi via Mount Kenya in 1913-14. Again this year, whilst inspecting the unknown country between Port Durnford and the Lower Tana, he heard of them, and he thinks they occupied the whole country west of the Juba between the Webi Dawa, in the north, and the Tana in the south, as far west as the Lorian.

His attention was aroused by the discovery of some artificial waterholes. The wells at Wajhier cut through the solid rock are attributed to this strange race.

Great cairns of stones are also a remarkable feature of this little-Known territory, and are supposed to have been built by the Maanthinle. One was opened, but there were no signs of a grave. The Lorian Swamp is said to have been made through this people damning the Uaso Nviro.

It is generally reported that this giant race cultivated large areas, conserved the water supply, owned camels, lived 'n round huts, came from Abyssinia., and finally that they were Christian.

Their hoes are said to have been so large that a man of the present day could .iot lift one.

A story is told of one. writes the Commissioner, who visited Kismayu. and being annoyed with the inhabitants, pulled up the anchors of the dhowe in the harbor, dragged the boats across the bay into deep water, and let them drift. They would liave been a menace to their neighbors but for the fact that they seemed very peaceful. Yet they apparently fought among themselves with the ut most fcrncity.

The legend of the beginning of the end of this race is that a man and girl quarrelled. The man beat the girl and cut her no.=e off: the girl’s brother killed her insuiter, and the quarrel spread.