The Dwarfs of Central Africa
The Rev. Melvin Fraser tells of an interesting visit he paid to a dwarf village, and gives the following interesting particulars regarding these people: “In conversation I learned that parts of three tribes made up the company, each tribe retaining its own head man. There was a large proportion of children. A new-born babe in her mother’s arms was the smallest specimen of humanity I ever saw. Some of the adults were of fair size, but the average was decidedly small of stature. An average-sized woman did not touch my arm held horizontally over her head. There was no uniformity of color. Some were quite black, but more were of a full-stone brown. They had a cast of countenance not common. They seemed impressionable and responsive, had a kindly bearing, and seemed clannish and fond of one another. They wear fetish amulets. They hunt game, utilize crude growths of the bush, and15are said to stay much up in trees hunting food, both animal and vegetable. All fear and distrust on the part of the dwarfs of this camp seemed to be removed. On account of this and the goodly number whom I was able to reach in one place, the opportunity was a rare one for giving these quaint little sons and daughters of the wild bush a gospel message. For the first time in Africa I offered prayer through an interpreter, during which some of the adults covered the eyes of some of the children with one hand and their own with the other. When I had said good-by and was walking out of town, one head man was dramatic and vociferous in repeating the good-by and telling me to ‘walk well.’” — Faithful Witness.