A Journal of a Tour in the Congo Free StateDorman, Marcus R. P.
History
A Journal of a Tour in the Congo Free State
Dorman, Marcus R. P.
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Description and travel
It is indeed the respect caused by moral not physical force which
enables a few Europeans to govern this great country with success, and
permits one or two white men to live securely with a few soldiers in an
isolated Post surrounded by thousands of natives most of whom are
savage cannibals.
There are, however, many difficulties yet to be surmounted, and among
them is the arrangement of a satisfactory currency. This was brought
home forcibly on October 1st when according to weekly custom, the people
in the villages around brought in food for the Post. Many women appeared
with large bunches of bananas for which as a rule, they are paid by
beads. In this prosperous part the heads of the women are already fully
adorned with beads and most of their household ornaments also, so they
demanded cloth instead.
The question of the currency is a very difficult one. There is the
danger of flooding the banks of the Congo with mitakos, and the banks of
the Ubangi with beads. In other words these articles which function as
money are not used as rapidly as they are supplied, and a lady whose
limbs are already weighted with brass rings and whose head is heavy with
beads, wishes for some other payment. There is a warehouse at each of
the State Posts in which cloth, clothes, beads, salt, and many other
commodities likely to be of use to the natives are kept, but it is
manifestly impossible to give as wages to each individual the particular
object he desires at the particular moment. The objection to beads and
mitakos, does not apply to salt and cloth, the former being at once
consumed, and the latter being worn out in course of time. Nevertheless
it is not well to have a currency which is continually being formed only
to be destroyed. The money currency, already existing in the Lower Congo
will, however, in course of time be extended, but there are still many
difficulties in the way. Francs and centimes will of course be of no
use to the natives, unless Stores are still kept at the State Posts at
which they can buy whatever they wish. This great question is, however,
occupying the careful attention of the Government, and will no doubt be
settled as satisfactorily as many others have been which were equally
difficult.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account