INTO REMOTE RHODESIA.

Grey River Argus, 6 November 1911, Page 7

INTO REMOTE RHODESIA.

D,r Dunbanßrutifon,- a well-known | English sportsman, .recently (brought | back with his" trophies) from Nort'heagt Rhodesia, some curious stories of natives .among whom he lived theTe. The natives are the "Wawemba tribe. Their origin is noli known', but it is thought that they come of Egyptian stock. They differ widely from th© neg-roid type, many of the women Ibeing quite, pretty, wi;h small, straight noses and small lips and ears, while the men possess the physique of the negro with a much higher degree of 1 intelligence.' Strange to say, 'these , nat'ive&j though they are continually I a prey of man-eating lioris, object . to die animal being Shot. They hold to a superstititnon 'that th e spiris of ! their dead chiefs inhabit the bodies j of these iman-eate-rs. Judging from 1 the account of the rule of the late \ diicfj Myamlba, one does not wonder at the origin of tho belief. This chief put -\. down crime and. .petty oiffencee by such' pundshnieniis ,as oroasting -to. death, and mutilation;, Elirring. was a.n offence sq serious as to be ].unished by cutting .off the nosea or" ears of the offending parties. ■ For ' speaking again s: a chief the puniishmezit was mutilation of itha tongue and ears. For stealing., one hand was chopped off ais' the .first offence, vnd the o'her hand at the second off jnce. Now they are under British rule these practices arc not permitted. Polvgi.my flourishes, Ibut ii as not encouraged. A man can buy a wife -Too.' 2s 6d, but each wife must- have a hut,and '.there As ?. hut-tax of 3s a year/ that maaiy cannot afford ibhiei luxury of more than one hut. Thoug"h theie i: much^levil worship the natives i-^---liove in but one " God. -They have their traditions and preserve Them by oral -records.; They told Dr.'punbaT Baniriton that tlieir. ancestors cam-i; i'om the Narth, and were brought across Laike Tanganyika, led by "two white men, who afterwards disappeared in their 'canoe. The f olk-lcre is full of quaint animal stories, the hero of which is always a rabbit, who is credited with that wisdom .and sag;a city attributed elsewhere to* Jirer Fox. 1