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A Famous Tribe of Savages
IR SAMUEL BAKER, beautifully arranged in sections of blue the celebrated African and red, that the entire helmet appears to explorer, gives an inter- be formed of beads; and the handsome esting account of the crest of polished copper, surmounted by remarkable tribe of sav- ostrich plumes, gives a most dignified ages known as the La- and martial appearance to this elaborate tookas. head-gear. No helmet is supposed to be The Latookas, he says, complete without a row of cowry-shells wear most exquisite hel- stitched round the rim, so as to form a mets; all of them are formed of solid edge. their own hair, and are, of course, Necklaces of metal are also worn by the fixtures. The thick, crisp wool is men, and also bracelets of the same matewoven with fine twine, formed rial. The weapons of the Latooka tribe from the bark of a tree, until it presents are a strong lance, or a short mace, mostly a thick net-work of felt. As the hair made of iron, and a shield about four feet grows through this matted substance, it long by two wide. The shields are generis subjected to the same process, until, in the course of years, a compact substance is formed, like a strong felt, about an inch and a half thick, that has been trained ness and toughness. Bows and arrows ally made of buffalo hide, but the best are formed from the skin of the giraffe, this combining the two qualities of lightare not used by the Latookas. into the shape of a helmet. A strong rim, of about two inches deep, is formed The women take comparatively little by sewing it together with thread; and pains with their toilet. Instead of spendthe front part of the helmet is protected ing their time in working up their woolly by a piece of polished copper; while a hair into the felt-like mass which decoplate of the same metal, shaped like the rates the men, they shave their heads enhalf of a bishop's mitre, and about a foot tirely, and trust for their ornaments to in length, forms the crest. beads, paint and tattooing. Like the The framework of the helmet being at belles of more Southern tribes, the La length completed, it must be perfected by tooka women extract the four incisor an arrangement of beads, should the teeth of the lower jaw; and the favorite owner be sufficiently rich to indulge in wife of the king told Lady Baker that she the coveted distinction. The beads most would really not be bad-looking if she in fashion are the red and the blue porce- would only remove those teeth, and give lain, about the size of small peas. These herself a coat of grease and vermilion. are sewed on the nape of the felt, and so The most fashionable feminine ornament in the Latooka country is a long piece of The men are also fond of decorating polished crystal, about as thick as a draw- their heads with the feathers of various ing pencil. A hole is bored in the under birds, and the favorite ornament is the lip, and the ornament hung from it. Sir head of the crested crane, its black, vel- S. Baker commended himself greatly to vet-like plumage, tipped with the gold-colthe queen and her daughter by present- ored crest, having a very handsome appearing them with the glass stem of a ther- ance when fixed on the top of the head. mometer that had been accidently broken, In general appearance, the Latookas and his gift was valued much as a neck- are a singularly fine race of men. They lace of brilliants would be by European are, on an average, all but six feet in
