More extended observations were made in 1885 by the late Dr. Ludwig Wolf, who accompanied Lieutenant Wissmann's expedition, and spent some time in the Kassai region. He says that the Batwa in some places live side by side with the Bakuba—in others they have settlements of their own, hidden away in the dense forest. They are most numerous about the parallel of 5° south. Each sub-chief of the Bakuba has a Batwa village assigned to him, whose inhabitants supply him with palm-wine and game. The independent Batwa of the forest sometimes offer dried meat in exchange for manioc or maize to the Bakuba, at periodical markets held on neutral ground. Dr. Wolf experienced some difficulty in obtaining accurate measurements; but the first series of those he was able to record gave 1·44 metre as a maximum, and 1·40 m. as a minimum. On a later occasion he found that the heights obtained ranged between 1·30 m. and 1·35 m.—which last figure is somewhat less than that given for Stanley's dwarf.
Dr. Wolf was disposed to think that there is in this respect little if any difference between the Batwa and the Bushmen. For the rest, he says that they were in general tolerably well formed, "und machten durchaus den Eindruck des Normalen." The skull was not markedly prognathous, and no ape-like peculiarities were noticeable. They followed no particular custom in the disposal of their dead, and were, like other Africans, firm believers in witchcraft.
According to Major Wissmann, these Batwa hunt with dogs, and, indeed, possess a superior breed of greyhounds.
Mr. C. S. Latrobe Bateman, in Under the Lone Star, speaks of two nomadic tribes—the "Batwa Bankonko" and the "Batwa Basingi"—the former of whom were the terror of the Bakete, who, to obtain protection from them, became tributary to the Bakuba. He makes no mention, however, of their racial peculiarities.
The Obongo, discovered by Du Chaillu in 1865, inhabit the Ashango country, in the mountains south of the Ogowé. They were "stoutly built, like chimpanzees," with broad chests and muscular limbs; some of them were not more than four feet in height, others from four feet two inches to four feet seven inches. They were "of a dirty-yellow color," with hair growing in tufts; and lived in the same sort of relation to the Ashangos as the Batwa to the Bakuba. A full description of their settlement and its little circular huts made of branches may be found in Du Chaillu's Ashango-Land.
The same people were seen by Dr. Lenz, when he ascended the
- About four feet nine inches and a quarter.
- Transactions Berlin Anthrop. Soc., 1886.
- Pp. 315 sqq.