CHAPTER CLXVII.
AFRICA—Continued.
THE MONBUTTOO.
DR. SCHWEINFURTH, THE DISCOVERER OF THIS TRIBE — THEIR LOCALITY — THEIR GOVERNMENT — KINGS DOGBERRA AND MUNZA — BONGWA AND HIS WIFE VISIT DR. SCHWEINFURTH — RECEPTION OF SCHWEINFURTH BY IZINGERRIA — PIPES OF THE MONBUTTOO — THEIR ACCURACY OF JUDGMENT — WONDERFUL BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY — KING MUNZA’S COURT — ARROWS OF THE MONBUTTOO — DRESS AND MARTIAL EQUIPMENTS — NEGLECT OF AGRICULTURE — SPHERE OF THE WOMEN — SUBJECTION OF THE MEN — UNCHASTITY OF BOTH SEXES — THEIR CANNIBALISM.
Dr. G. A. Schweinfurth, a young German explorer, having received a grant of money from the Humboldt Institution in 1868, landed in Egypt and thence penetrated the “heart of Africa.” Following out the footsteps of Sir Samuel Baker, he took a westerly course and passing through the country of Niam-niam (of which there is an account on pages 440-444) he visited the hitherto unknown kingdom of Monbuttoo. His scientific and ethnological discoveries have placed his name among the eminent explorers of the African continent, and the results of his explorations, published under the title, “In the Heart of Africa,” are given to the public in a style that is rarely equalled.
On the south of the Niam-niam territory, between the parallels of 3° and 4° north lat. and 28° and 29° east long. there is a district of some 4,000 square miles inhabited by a people differing widely from the usual type of the negro race. They are of a brownish complexion, and are in many respects superior to the tribes of Central Africa. They are generally called Monbuttoo, though the name of Gurrugurroo is applied by the ivory traders. It is derived from the custom universal among this people of piercing their ears. The density of population, estimated from the observations of Dr. Schweinfurth, is probably not exceeded by any portion of the continent. If the average be, as he thought, at least two hundred and fifty inhabitants to a square mile, the aggregate must be about a million people.
The government of this tribe, when Dr. Schweinfurth visited it, was in the hands of two chieftains who had divided the sovereignty between them. Dogberra was the king of the Eastern Division, while the Western was under the sway of Munza, a more powerful and capable man. His father was Tikkibah, who was the sole ruler of the Monbuttoo country, but had been murdered by Dogberra, his brother, some thirteen years before.
Nembey, a local chieftain under Dogberra, was visited by Schweinfurth as soon as he entered the Monbuttoo territory, and showed his friendly disposition by going to the hut of the explorer with his wives and carrying a present of poultry. Schweinfurth was treated in the same friendly way by Bongwa, another chief whose district he entered. This Bongwa was subject to pay tribute to Munza and Dogberra alike, as his possessions were contiguous to those of the rival kings.
Bongwa, attended by his wife, made a visit to the camp of Schweinfurth and permitted him the unusual privilege of taking a sketch of both himself and his better-half. Madame Bongwa took her seat on a Monbuttoo bench, clad in nothing save “a singular band like a saddle-girth across her lap, in the fashion of all the women of the country.” Her complexion was several shades lighter than that of her husband. The tattooing upon her person was quite remarkable and consisted of two different kinds. A portion ran over the bosom and shoulders, forming a line and ornament just where our ladies wear their lace collars, which terminated in large crosses on the breast. The other pattern was traced over the stomach, and stood out in such relief that it must have been made by a hot iron. “It consisted of figures set in square frames, and looked like the tracery which is sculptured on cornices and old arches. Bodkins of ivory projected from her towering chignon, which was surmounted by a plate as large as a dollar, fastened on by a comb with fine teeth manufactured of porcupine-quills.”
The reception of Dr. Schweinfurth and his party by Izingerria, King Munza’s viceroy and brother, was so hospitable as to be worthy of narration. It was somewhat late in the afternoon that they made their entrance into the viceroy’s mbanga. Both sides of the roadway were thronged with wondering people who were attracted by curiosity to see the white strangers. The officials were arrayed in full state, their hats ornamented with plumes waving in the air. Their shield-bearers accompanied them, and benches were brought so that they might receive their guests with ease and sit comfortably to observe their appearance in the interview.
When Schweinfurth visited Izingerria in the evening at his dwelling, he found him sitting on his bench in the open space, surrounded by his chief men. It is a custom of the country that all persons of any distinction, heads of families and officials, when they pay a visit, take with them their slaves who carry their benches, because, unlike the Turks, the Munbuttoo consider it very unbecoming to sit upon the ground even though it be covered with mats. The bench is indispensable. The women sit on stools having only one leg. Having been made acquainted with this custom, Schweinfurth always gave instructions that some of his party should accompany him carrying his cane chair.
In this interview they sat opposite each other, and by a double translation were enabled to confer together till late in the night. There were none of the usual expression of hospitalities. Even the explorer’s cigars did not attract the natives, though they smoke tobacco excessively, nor did they offer the accustomed eleusine beer.
The Monbuttoo pipes, though of a primitive character are ingenious and serviceable. They are made of the mid-rib of a plantain leaf generally, though the upper classes often use a metal tube, some five feet long and made by their smiths. “The lower extremity of the pipe is plugged up and an opening is made in the side, near the end, into which is inserted a plantain leaf twisted up and filled with tobacco. This extemporized bowl is changed as often as requisite, sometimes every few minutes, by the slaves who are kept in attendance. The only tobacco that is known here is the Virginian.” Pipes constructed in this novel way have a decided merit in modifying the rankness of the tobacco as perfectly as if it had been inhaled through the water-reservoir of a narghileh.
It excited the wonder of Dr. Schweinfurth that the natives could so accurately, by the indication of the finger, point to any particular place. Their skill in telling the hour of the day by the elevation of the sun was equally surprising. He could rarely detect an error of more than half an hour in their conjectures. On the plains and deserts like those of Nubia a straight course is often pursued for many miles without the least variation. The exactitude of their estimate is so remarkable that if a lance be laid upon the ground the path to which it directs will lead with scarcely a hair’s-breadth deviation to the destination desired. This singular precision of judgment has been observed and mentioned by other African travellers.
Munza’s kingdom which Schweinfurth at length entered lies about midway between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean in the “heart of Africa.” The description of this remote region, hitherto unvisited by the white man, we give in his own language:—
“Nothing could be more charming than that last day’s march, which brought us to the limit of our wanderings. The twelve miles which led to Munza’s palace were miles enriched by such beauty as might be worthy of Paradise. The plantain groves harmonized so perfectly with the clustering oil-palms that nothing could surpass the perfection of the scene; whilst the ferns that adorned the countless stems in the background of the landscape enhanced the charms of the tropical groves. A clear and invigorating atmosphere contributed to the enjoyment of it all, refreshing water and grateful shade being never far away. In front of the native dwellings towered the splendid fig-trees of which the spreading coronets defied the passage of the sun. The crowds of bearers made their camp around the stem of a colossal Cordia Abyssinica, which stood upon the open space in front of the abode of the local chief and reminded me of the Abyssinian villages, where this tree is cultivated.... These trees with their goodly coronets of spreading foliage are the survivors from generations that are gone, and form a comely ornament in well-nigh all the villages of the Monbuttoo.
“And then, finally, conspicuous amidst the massy depths of green was descried the palace of the king. Halting on the hither side of a stream at a place clear of trees they fixed their camp. In front was visible a sloping area covered with a multitude of huts, some in a conical shape and others like sheds. Surmounting all with ample courts, broad and imposing, unlike anything we had seen since we left the edifices of Cairo, upreared itself the spacious pile of King Munza’s dwelling.”
The king is invested with large prerogatives, and always appears in great state, accompanied with a numerous body of courtiers. Whenever he leaves his residence he is attended by hundreds of his retinue, besides his special body-guard, and a large number of trumpeters, drummers, and subordinates with great iron bells lead the procession. Munza had three viceroys in the persons of his brothers, and next to them were the sub-chiefs who were governors of the provinces, and generally selected from the numerous members of the blood royal.
The subordinate chiefs, to whom are assigned separate and well-defined portions of the Monbuttoo territory, are accustomed to surround themselves with the tokens of authority and state, little inferior to those of their respective kings.
Next to them in rank are the chief officers of state, five in number. “These are the keeper of the weapons, the master of the ceremonies, the superintendent of the commissariat stores, the master of the household to the royal ladies, and the interpreter for intercourse with strangers and foreign rulers.” Besides, there is a vast number of civil officers and overseers in various districts of the land to guard the interests and maintain the prerogatives and dignity of the sovereign. In addition to the courtiers there are numerous officials assigned to special duties, such as private musicians, trumpeters and buglers, eunuchs and jesters, ballad singers and dancers, who are retained to give splendor to the court and furnish amusement on public and festal occasions. There are also stewards whose duty is to maintain order at the feasts, and they are authorized to inflict bodily chastisement if any be guilty of disturbance and indecorum.
The arrows of the Monbuttoo differ from those of other tribes except the A-Banga, by being furnished at the extremity of the shaft with two wings. These are made either of pieces of plantain leaves or of hairs of the tail of the genet. The points, when not of iron, are made of a kind of wood that is almost as hard as iron. The shaft consists of the firm, reedy steppe-grass, and is about the size of a common lead-pencil. Schweinfurth says, “by a cruel refinement of skill, which might almost be styled diabolical, they contrive to place one of the joints of the reed just below the barbs, with the design that the arrow should break off short as soon as it has inflicted the wound, making it a very difficult matter to extract the barbs from the flesh. The usual method of extracting a lance head is to take a knife and make a sufficiently large incision in the wounded muscle for the barb to be withdrawn, but, in fact, the result generally is that very jagged and troublesome wounds are inflicted.”
The Monbuttoo resemble the A-Banga in their dress and martial equipments. They have the custom of piercing the ears of both sexes so that quite a large stick can be run through the opening. In order to effect this the concave portion of the ear is cut out. This tribe, as well as the A-Banga, have by this peculiarity received the name from the Nubians of Gurrugurroo (derived from the word gurgur, which means “bored,”) to distinguish them from Niam-niam. Both the first-mentioned tribes practise circumcision, while the latter allow no mutilation of the human body.
This people, living in so remote and secluded a region, and having no intercourse with Mohammedan or Christian nations, have never learned the art of weaving. Accordingly their clothing is made of the bast from the bark of the fig-trees, which are so much prized that they may be seen contiguous to almost every hut. The custom of wearing skins, which obtains among the Niam-niam, does not exist among this tribe save when a fancy dress is needed for dancers. There is a singular absence of domestic animals among the Monbuttoo, with the exception of the little dogs known as the “nessey,” and their poultry. They do not engage in cattle-breeding, and have only one specimen of the swine family, the potamochoerus, which they keep in a half-tame state.
Their supply of meat for food is obtained in their hunting expeditions, their taste giving preference to the flesh of elephants, buffaloes, wild boars, and antelopes. As they understand the art of preserving meat they are not under the necessity of keeping cattle or resorting constantly to the field to supply their ever-recurring wants.
There is very little that can be called agriculture among them, the soil producing very abundantly and without the need of much care or cultivation. Besides, it is somewhat remarkable that what is the common feed of the tribes in the interior of Africa, viz. sorghum and pencillaria, are entirely disregarded by this people. They are too idle to devote any time to the raising of cereals. The cultivation of plantain, which is common, requires very little attention; all that is requisite is to let the old plants die down where they are and simply stick the young shoots in the ground after it has been softened by rain. The Monbuttoo exhibit a remarkable discrimination in the selection of plants, being able to tell whether a shoot will bear fruit or not, and thus avoid those not worth the trouble of planting,—a faculty that would be of great service to gardeners everywhere. There are only a few plants that they cultivate at all, and these are such as require but the least possible exertion. The sesame, earthnuts, sugar-canes, and tobacco constitute the bulk of their products from the soil.
This work of tillage and of gathering the harvest is the sphere of the women, the men spending the day in lounging, talking, and smoking, except when engaged in war or the hunt. They avoid all labor. In the morning they may be seen reclining under the shade of the oil-palms upon their carved benches and regaling themselves with tobacco. In the middle of the day they betake themselves to the cool halls where they can give utterance to their opinions with entire freedom. These groups form an animated picture of the social life of these distant people. Their vivacity and gesticulation are truly visible in all these noonday gatherings of the Monbuttoo men.
The manufacture of pottery is also here confined exclusively to the women as in other parts of Africa. The men however are the smiths, and they share the work of basket-making and wood-carving with the women. The greater portion of the manual labor, it will be seen, is performed by the weaker sex. While, however, they are subjected to this servile labor, the relation of wives to their husbands is one of independence and authority.
The subjection of men was illustrated by the answer made when they were solicited to sell anything: “Oh, ask my wife; it is hers.” Polygamy prevails among this people, and very little regard is paid to the obligations of marriage. Considering their intelligence and general improvement in some of the arts of civilization, rendering them superior to most other tribes, the character of the women, in respect to deportment and chastity, is an anomaly. They suffer greatly in comparison with the Niam-niam women, who are modest and retiring. The conduct of the men and women toward each other is one of offensive laxity. Many of the latter indulged in gross obscenity, and the immodesty of this sex, generally, far exceeded anything Schweinfurth had seen among other tribes, even the lowest. The contrast of this general freedom and unchastity, with so much that is commendable and interesting in the character of the Monbuttoo, excited his surprise.
In the culinary arts they exhibit a very considerable superiority over the African tribes. Yet blended with this higher culture in the mode of preparing their food there is another horrid anomaly. Human fat is in universal use among them, and this leads us to consider their cannibalism. Among no people of the continent is the eating of human flesh so much a recognized and systematic custom as among the Monbuttoo. The testimony of Dr. Schweinfurth we give in his own language: “Surrounded as the Monbuttoo are by a number of people who are blacker than themselves, and who, being inferior to them in culture, are consequently held in great contempt, they have just the opportunity which they want for carrying on expeditions of war or plunder that result in the acquisition of a booty which is especially coveted by them, consisting of human flesh. The carcasses of all who fall in battle are distributed upon the battle-field, and are prepared by drying for transport to the homes of the conquerors. They drive their prisoners before them without remorse, as butchers would drive sheep to the shambles, and those are only reserved to fall victims on a later day to their horrible and sickening greediness. During our residence at the court of Munza, the general rumor was quite current, that nearly every day some little child was sacrificed to supply his meal. It would hardly be expected that many opportunities would be afforded to strangers of witnessing the natives at their repast, and to myself there occurred only two instances when I came upon any of them whilst they were actually engaged in preparing human flesh for consumption. The first of these happened by my coming unexpectedly upon a number of young women who had a supply of boiling hot water upon the clay floor in front of the doorway of a hut, and were engaged in the task of scalding the hair off the lower half of a human body. The operation, so far as it was effected, had changed the black skin into a fawny gray, and the disgusting sight could not fail to make me think of the soddening and scouring of our fatted swine. On another occasion I was in a hut and observed a human arm hanging over the fire, obviously with the design of being at once dried and smoked.
“Incontrovertible tokens and indirect evidence of the prevalence of cannibalism were constantly turning up at every step we took. On one occasion Mohammed and myself were in Munza’s company, and Mohammed designedly turned the conversation to the topic of human flesh, and put the direct question to the king, how it happened at this precise time, while we were in the country, there was no consumption of human flesh? Munza expressly said, ‘that being aware that such a practice was held in aversion by us, he had taken care that it should only be carried on in secret.’”
There was no opportunity granted to any of Schweinfurth’s caravan of seeing the Monbuttoo at their meals. The Nubians had conscientious scruples which forbade their partaking food with these cannibals. The others, belonging to inferior native tribes, as the Mittoo or Bonga servants, were regarded as unworthy, being uncircumcised and savages, to sit at meal with the Monbuttoo.
Schweinfurth bought, with pieces of copper, quite a number of human skulls, that are now in the Anatomical Museum, in Berlin,—the unquestionable proofs that this people are unsurpassed in their devotion to this degrading and horrible practice; yet they are a remarkable and in many respects a noble race of men, “who display a certain national pride, and are endowed with an intellect and judgment such as few natives of the African wilderness can boast, men to whom one may put a reasonable question and who will return a reasonable answer.”