THE NATIVES OF BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA [Illustration: WOMEN CARRYING WATER-JARS, CHIROMO] The Native Races of the British Empire THE NATIVES OF BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA BY A. WERNER WITH THIRTY-TWO FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, LTD. 1906 Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty IN MEMORIAM J. R. W. ELMINA, AUGUST 16, 1891 ... ‘_Desiderio_ ... _Tam cari capitis_....’ CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF PLATES xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY Geography. Botany: bush-fire. Climate. Fauna: beasts, birds, fish, insects, 1 CHAPTER II INHABITANTS Classification of tribes. Physical characters. Keloids and tribal marks. Ear ornaments. Tooth-chipping. Hair, 24 CHAPTER III RELIGION AND MAGIC—I Ancestor-worship. Offerings. Mulungu. Mpambe. Chitowe. Evil spirits. Spirits of the dead. Dreams. Morality, 46 CHAPTER IV RELIGION AND MAGIC—II Creation. Origin of death. Lake Nyasa. Rain-making. Charms. Witchcraft. Lycanthropy, Divination. Food tabus. Dances, 70 CHAPTER V NATIVE LIFE—I. CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH Villages. Huts. Birth. Naming. Dress. Childhood’s rights. Games. Plastic art-work. Daily life, 99 CHAPTER VI NATIVE LIFE—II Initiation. Marriage. Division of labour. Meals. Food. Hut-building. The _bwalo_. Affection, 123 CHAPTER VII FUNERAL RITES Wailing and mourning. The grave. Inheritance. The cause of death. Ordeal, 154 CHAPTER VIII ARTS, INDUSTRIES, ETC. Agriculture: Maize, tobacco, gardens, etc. Hunting, trapping. Ant-catching. Fishing. Weaving. Basket-making. Bark cloth. Ironwork. Wood-carving. Pottery. Salt, 176