Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1889 — MOSQUITO TERRITORY. [ARTICLE]

MOSQUITO TERRITORY.

The ballet girls ought to be able to * out-live the “ballet girls’ trust” The findcig, years ago of Jewish eoloniee Western China is now well supplemented by the discovery of Christian efona or sects in Africa s mth of Abyssinia. Theca wholly isolated peoples have retained some forms of Christian belief and worship since the early centuries when Egypt and the lands to the south were in the hands of the followers of Jeans. Mohammedanism arising in the seventh, century cut off this section, and has obliterated Christianity to the north of them. What is left, however, of the better faith, is now so thoroughly degenerate that it is not worth the preserving. Africa is full of wonders. Stanley will have another story of the marvelous sort to tell.

A Tiny Central American State Whose People Are Children of Nature. The royal family of Mosquito territory, says a letter to the New York Times, owes its origin to the shrewdness of the early English traders who succeeded to the business of the hue caneers and freebooters when the latter were driven from the Spanish seas. At that period the Moscos were divided on the question whether or not tc welcome the English. - The English favored the friendly portion, aidej them in their fight, and crowned the conquering chief as king. The royai purple and insignia comprised a faded red coat cast off by some lieutenant, a silver-gilt crown, a very large sword, and a scepter of moderate value. The traders pursued the s ime policy with lesser chiefs, and such illustrious names.as Lord Nelson, Duko of Wellington, Duke of York and Marlborough were handed around so freely that along the shore to-day one feels as if he had dropped into the mo?»."ekclu6ive circles of Belgravia. The hold the English got upon the country has never been relinquished and the mother country still continues every consular office she ever startod. The people of these small towns are thoroughly children of nature, without any form of religion, and apparently given as much to the habit of thought as one would expect to find among the inhabitants of the unexplored portions of Africa. They believe in a certain water spirit “Lewira,” who is represented as a water-dog, and in an evil spirit called “Walusha.” Theirgod of the high country or mountainous region back from the coast is represented as a turkey. They have great faith in their medicine men, whose authority is often greater than that of the king, and these gentlemen ot the medical profession always exact one-half of the stipulated price of attendance in advance. When children arrive fit a marriageable age they pair off by agreement among themselves, and are considered man and wife until they choose to break the contract which they are always at liberty to do, with the proviso of equal distribution of their fortune. This partition of the estate is often a cause of much trouble, because it is difficult to hlance old and brokendown mules against a thatched hut, its cooking utensils, a few banana trees, and a corn field; and the latter the wife always expects to retain in her possession to render her a more attractive divorcee. When the parties are unable to agree the king is chosen as arbitrator, and if his decision is appealed from the British cotmsul's word is fina 1 It i 3 astonishing what a reverence these people have inherited for England, They still imagine her protectorate aver them to be in full force and believe it to be their mainstay against the pretensions of Nicaragua. Old King John was wont to speak of Queen Victoria as his royai sister, and rathSr pathetically reminded her of his existence in her jubilee by presenting her with a quintal of the finest selected tacao berries—about all his slender parse could stand.