Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1894 — WEST AFRICAN CUSTOMS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WEST AFRICAN CUSTOMS.

Some Interesting Features of Native I.lfe Near Sierra Leone. During recent years, owing partly to independent explorers and partly to the operations of European powers in Africa, we have learned much

about the customs and habits of the natives of the dark continent. Recently a territory east of Sierra Leone, where the English and the French forces came into accidental and fatal collision, was opened up by the former. It is known as Mendi-

land. Here there are some curious customs. The Poro bush is the name of the political meetings of the men, and here all matters relating to peace or war are deliberated. This place, which is merely an encampment in the woods, is sacred to the Poro people and none but a Poro can enter it The opening leading to it through the woods is marked on either side by bunches of a kind of fern. The Bundu bush is the headquarters of the girls, and into one of these retreats no man can ever enter, under punishment of death or slavery. In this Bundu, which is somewhat of a convent, the girls are initiated into the secret country customs pertaining to their sex. Often a girl of 9 or 10 is betrothed before

entering the Bundu, and here she remains at the expense of - her fiance until she is of marriageable age. But the Bundu Devil, a “medicine" woman, somewhat corresponding to the Indian medicine man, is the most interesting character in Mendiland. No part of her body may at any time be visible, and she is thus encased in rough native-made cloth—a long shaggy fiber. In each hand she carries a bunch of twigs and with these she goes through a sort of dumb show, as she does no talking. She generally looks after the men and punishes them for misbehavior.

COL. WILLIAM C. P. BRECKINRIDGE. Defendant in the Pollard-Breckinridge Breach of Promise Case.

A BUNDU DEVIL.

NATIVE FRENCH AND BRITISH SOLDIERS.