THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA.
Although Africa may well be considered the home of the black man, yet we must not fail, in considering the people of the dark continent, to refer to the annals of history for many interesting facts about them.
From the days of the remotest antiquity, two Asiatic branches of the human family extended their area southwest into Africa. The emigrants called Hamites, peopled Egypt, Libya, and Numidia. They furnished us with the earliest annals of history; for they invented the hieroglyphics and the arts for which Egypt was celebrated. Their successors, the Semites, who followed them from Asia, spread all over the northern and eastern sections of the continent. Followers of Mohammed, they carried his faith with them in their journeying and laid the foundation of the Mohammedan religion as we find it in the sections along the Mediterranean Sea. As Arab traders they have extended their journeys into the very heart of the continent to carry on the traffic of ivory and slaves.
The black race is native to Africa. It is divided into three great branches, each of which is divided into numerous tribes and again subdivided into kingdoms.
The negroes, or true blacks, are native to Central Africa. They inhabit the great coasts of Guinea and Senegambia in West Africa, and also the great tract of country which extends eastward through the Soudan, the "Land of the Blacks," to the valley of the Nile. Most of the freed men of the United States are descendants of the negroes of the Guinea coast, who, having been captured as slaves, were shipped across the sea to America and sold into bondage.
The negroid branch of the African race is doubtless of mixed ancestry, descended from the true negro and from the white race inhabiting North and East Africa. It is a well-marked branch, showing plainly the mixed ancestry of the people. The various tribes occupy Nubia, the high grassy plains of East Central Africa, which include the lake region and the basin of the Upper Nile, and the vast territory which contains the watersheds of the mighty Congo and Zambesi Rivers. The various tribes known as Kaffirs, Zulus, Bechuanas, and the many tribes of Bantu in the south of Africa all belong to the negroid branch.
A third branch, the negrillos, or dwarfs, are a people of small stature. Some of the tribes are found in the thick forests that lie along the northern side of the Congo River. In South Africa we find them represented by the Bushmen, one of the lowest grades of the human family, occupying the land bordering on the Kalahari Desert. The Hottentots are somewhat larger in stature and of a higher order of intelligence. They very likely are of a mixed ancestry, having descended from a mingling of the Bushmen and some of the tribes of the negroid branch in this region.
Notwithstanding that there are but three branches of the native people of Africa, yet owing to their division into numberless tribes, each bearing its own special name, almost as much difficulty is found in tracing their origin as in trying to discover the source of any of the great rivers from their various tributaries which form a network over the country.
We shall later in our reading obtain some knowledge of the Moorish pirates who infested the Mediterranean Sea and who had their headquarters at Algiers.
It is due to the French nation that since 1830 the magnificent port of Algiers has been open to all the fleets of the world, and the coast of the Mediterranean, freed from pirates, has been accessible to all the navies of the world, should they choose to occupy it.
The attention of the French is now turned toward ridding the great sea of sand which extends between Northern Africa and Central Soudan from the fierce Tuaregs that still occupy it. They are a race as wild and barbarous—yes, as lawless—as were ever the terrible pirates of the Mediterranean Sea. They may be termed the brigands of the desert.
They roam over the vast region between Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and Tripoli in the north, and Lake Tchad in the south. Mounted upon racing camels, they go upon raiding expeditions and seek the oases, with which the great desert is strewn, for refuge and to replenish their stores. Until recently these mysterious Sahara tribes have seemed determined to bar the road to their territory against all white men.
Who are the Tuaregs? From whence came they? It is believed that they are remnants of the Berber tribes of Northern Africa, who occupied the Libyan Desert. The Romans and other nations, together with the Arabs, from time to time drove them back into the great desert.
The raid and conquest of the Arabs was fierce and bitter. Some of these Berber tribes had been Christians for six centuries and had formed the flourishing African church to which St. Augustine belonged and did not readily forsake their faith to adopt that of Mohammed. In consequence their land was confiscated and their olive orchards burned. Early in the ninth century this work of persecution began, and for two hundred years these people had been crowded back into the desert.
Their homes gone, the migrating Berbers had no way of preserving the annals of the exodus of their tribes into the wilderness; for they had no written language, and in the course of time their memory became dimmed as to their history. They are called Tuaregs by the Arabs, meaning "those who have renounced."
All memory of their ancient faith has been lost. The Latin cross, which was its emblem, is found on the hilts of their swords and in the ornaments on the bridles of their racing camels, but the Tuaregs, descendants of these ancient Berbers of Christian faith, have no knowledge of its significance.
The only occupations of these people are their wars and the long expeditions across the desert. Mounted upon swift camels, they traverse its vast extent. Their faces, which are concealed by a black veil, remind one of the mailed knights of the Middle Ages. No one has ever seen the face of one of these Tuareg warriors uncovered. The Arabs term them the "Veiled Ones."
The fineness of the texture of the veil with which a Tarki, a native of one of these tribes, conceals his features is indicative of his social rank. If of the higher class, he wears his veil night and day. The strongest proof of friendship he can give is to raise his veil and show his features while talking to any one.
A Tarki of noble rank wears a high cap of red cloth decorated with large black tassels. His upper garments consist of a long white shirt bound about the waist by a broad red scarf, and a sleeveless blouse of some black material adorned with costly gold and silver embroidery. His lower garment is a pair of wide white Turkish trousers which reach to the instep. On his feet lie wears sandals made of goat skin. On his chest are small leather bags or metal cases; these contain amulets, generally large emeralds, of which rich deposits are found in the Sahara. Woven bands of leather fasten these bags or cases to his neck.
For weapons the Tarki carries a short dagger and a well-sharpened saber. These are fastened to his arm by a copper bracelet. The hilts of these weapons are always in the form of a Latin cross, and are adorned with five nails of copper arranged to represent a cross. He wears a two-handed sword suspended from his neck by a strong cotton cord, ending in two large tassels.
When out on an expedition the Tuaregs plant their long iron spears, inlaid with copper, in the ground, whenever they stop for the night or to rest awhile, and take a squatting position beside them.
Two or three iron javelins carefully sharpened are always fastened to the back or pommel of the saddle of a noble Tarki. These he can hurl to a great distance with considerable skill. As a means of defense he carries an oblong shield made of antelope skin and large enough to cover his whole person. Firearms he scorns to use.
In appearance the Tuaregs are tall, slender, and well formed. In disposition they are grave, silent, impassive, and affect an indifference to their surroundings. In character they are proud, cunning, quarrelsome, and tenacious. They are very excitable, brave, and enduring, and no privation nor fatigue can dishearten them. In their intercourse with others their hatred knows no pity, their vengeance no mercy.
They are the terror of the caravans that cross the desert, where every living being is an enemy. Whenever a solitary man appears on the dim horizon, the caravan makes ready for battle. It never thinks of approaching a well without sending out an advance guard to see if it is safe to proceed.
In attacking a caravan the Tuaregs first send out scouts in advance. These men are not armed, and under pretense of seeking food or by offering their services as guides, try to mingle with the caravan. Their object is to lead it to wells near which they know their warriors are lying in wait hidden behind sand hills.
Night is the time usually chosen for an onslaught, and generally at watering places a long distance apart. It is the custom for a caravan to stop several days at a well to allow the camels an opportunity to graze. A herd may thus be a long way from the main part of the caravan, and it is at such a time, when the forces are divided, that the Tuaregs usually make an attack.
In their rough life and hard struggle for existence they have become veritable outcasts. They are Mohammedans in name only, and do not repeat the five daily prayers with their faces turned toward Mecca; neither do they take their daily ablutions in the sand, as the prophet required. They use the Koran only when taking an oath, and are very faithful in keeping their pledges.
A curious custom, not unlike that which existed in the Middle Ages between the warrior knights and the religious orders, prevails; for the nobles leave the duty of praying to the tribes that form the middle classes. These tribes were formerly noble, but are now in a half-servile condition. They are excluded from certain privileges enjoyed by the warriors, to whom they pay heavy tribute in cattle, slaves, and dates. Aside from this they enjoy perfect freedom.
The old men, the women, the children, and the slaves live in stone houses in villages and till the fields which surround them. Their lords dwell under leather tents and move from place to place, when necessary, to find fresh pasturage.
Should the French nation succeed in subjugating these brigand tribes of the Sahara, commerce in the desert will be as safe as that upon the sea.
There are two great branches of the African people, the Somal and Galla tribes, that occupy a large portion of Eastern Africa lying south and east of Abyssinia. These tribes are entirely distinct from the negro.
The Somal tribes occupy the country described as the great eastern horn of Africa, which terminates at Cape Guardafui.
Only a small portion of the country is known to Europeans. On the north it consists of a table-land, diversified by rugged cliffs as it approaches the coast, and by a wide maritime plain as it retreats from it. Inland this table-land stretches away towards the south in immense grassy plains. Great herds of gazelles, zebras, and antelopes roam over them; and the ostrich, giraffe, and elephant are found in large numbers. The central section is famed as a grazing land for camels, ponies, cows, and fat-tailed sheep.
The numerous Somal tribes, through mingling with the Arabs, have become Mohammedan fanatics. They speak a mixed language, have tall, slight, agile figures, and in color they are slightly darker than the Arabs. They have lips and noses almost Grecian in character, but woolly hair like the negro.
The Galla tribes occupy the immense tract of country, nine hundred miles from north to south, lying south of Abyssinia in the maritime region of East Africa. Somaliland is the eastern limit. Lake Rudolph is probably its western limit, though it may have an extension to the northwest.
The country is, for the most part, unexplored. It consist of a moderately elevated plateau, dotted with isolated mountain groups and affords ample pasturage for cattle, camels, and horses.
The Galla tribes are a tall, finely formed people, who have bright, expressive eyes, and a deep brown complexion. The tribes of the various sections differ widely in their characteristics. Those occupying the southern borders of Abyssinia are brave warriors and keen traders. They are either Mohammedans or professed followers of the Christianity of Abyssinia. The southern Galla tribes are all heathen.
Just southwest of the Galla country, between the snowy peaks of Kenia and Kilimanjaro and the eastern shores of Victoria Nyanza, is a wide plateau section. This is occupied by warlike nomads. They are feared all along the maritime region, for they plunder the Arab caravans which make their way inland towards the lake region in their journey from the coast. The coast tribes live in constant fear of these marauders and are always on the alert against their attacks.
The Portuguese claim all the coast line of southeast Africa from a point near Cape Delgado, for a distance of fourteen hundred miles southward to Delagoa Bay. This possession is know as the Province of Mozambique, and is under the control of a governor appointed by the Crown of Portugal. He is aided by a small military force, mostly Portuguese convicts, and has almost unlimited authority in controlling the affairs of the settlements. The points along the coast actually occupied by the Portuguese are few and isolated.
On the mainland of East Africa we find a narrow maritime belt, ten miles in width, extending from the Rovuma to Ozi River. This is under the dominion of the Sultan of Zanzibar. Arrangements were made in 1888 and 1889 in which this coast line was to be governed by two companies, the one English, the other German.
Very recently the British East Africa Company made a formal transfer of all its territory to Great Britain. By the terms of the transaction the company surrendered its royal charter in return for the payment of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. England has thus secured an immense tract of territory, a million square miles, for a comparatively small sum.
The territory over which the British Government will now assume control extends about four hundred miles along the coast northward from Umba, situated at the mouth of a river of the same name. The southern boundary line runs in a northwest direction to the intersection of the Victoria Nyanza with the first parallel of north latitude. It skirts the northern shore of the lake and extends westward as far as the boundary line of the Congo Free State.
Its northern boundary begins at the River Juba. This boundary line extends from the intersection of the river with the sixth parallel, north latitude, to the thirty-fifth meridian, east longitude, which it follows to its point of intersection with the Blue Nile. The Congo Free State and the western watershed of the basin of the Upper Nile form the western boundary line.
Now that England has come into possession of so much East African territory, we may expect to receive much interesting information about the natives, as their land becomes open to civilization and commerce. A large part of East Africa must now become known to the world, and many improvements are to be looked for. A railway of six hundred and fifty-seven miles in length has at this early date been planned from Mombassa to Lake Nyanza. No doubt this will in time affect the great caravan routes into the interior.
At present the most frequented routes lead in several parallel lines from two coast towns opposite the Island of Zanzibar, extending up through the countries of Usagara and the dry plains of Ugogo to an Arab settlement in Unyamwezi, at a distance of five hundred miles from the coast. From here several routes lead northward to the countries surrounding Victoria Nyanza. The main line, however, passes westward to an Arab station in the country of Ujiji on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
By means of a ferry across this wide lake the Arabs have extended their trade routes still farther west into the central country of Manyema. Here they have an important trading station on the great Lualaba, or Congo, in the very heart of Africa, fully one thousand miles west of Zanzibar.