454 



NATURE 



[December 2, 1920 



The Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. 



TUli REV. J. ROSCOE, the leader of the Mackie 

 Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa, has 

 recently returned to this country after an absence of 

 more than eighteen months. The expedition, which 

 was made possible by a generous donation from Sir 

 Peter Mackie, placed at the disposal of the Royal 

 Society, had for its object the investigation of the 

 laws, customs, and beliefs of the native tribes under 

 British rule in Central Africa, particularly in the 

 Uganda Protectorate, in accordance with a scheme 

 which had been planned and urgently advocated for 

 many years by Sir James Frazer, but for which funds 

 had hitherto been wanting. The tribes which the 

 expedition proposed to investigate had been very little 

 modified by contact with civilisation, and it was felt 

 that a detailed examination of their institutions and 

 beliefs would not only add very materially to our 

 scientific knowledge, but would also conduce to the 

 good government and economic development of the 

 country in the future. 



The expedition left this country in the spring of 

 1919. The first part of its labours was devoted to the 

 study of the Bahima of Ankole, an important pastoral 

 tribe, in the western part of the Uganda Protectorate. 

 During a stay of three months Mr. Roscce gathered 

 an immense amount of detailed information relating 

 to the clan and totem organisation and tabus, the 

 system of government, and the beliefs and rituals con- 

 nected with the care of cattle and the milk, which 

 play an important part in regulating the life of the 

 community. 



From Ankole the expedition moved to Kigezi, where 

 a short stay was made for the ourpose of studying 

 the Bakyiga, a large and fierce mountain tribe of 

 many clans, partly pastoral, partly agricultural. The 

 tribe is believed to be the original stock, which the 

 Bahima were never able to conquer. This is borne 

 out by the fact that they are of the same type as the 

 slaves in .Ankole and the lower order of people in 

 Bunyoro. 



On leaving Kigezi the expedition set out for 

 Bunyoro, proceeding westward to the arm connecting 

 the two lakes Edward and George, and then north- 

 ward along the line of these lakes and Lake Albert — 

 a country very little known, which was found to be 

 of extraordinary beautv. 



In the course of a short rest of a week a superficial 

 examination of the Bamba and Bakonja of Mount 

 Luenzori was made. The expedition then proceeded 

 from Port Ntoroko by steamer to Butiaba, the port 

 for Masindi, the capital of Bunyoro, where it entered 

 upon the second and, as it proved, the most fruitful 

 part of its labours. 



The King of Bunyoro gave every assistance to the 

 expedition. He is now a Christian, but as the reposi- 

 tory of the tradition and practice of the religion of 

 the people his knowledge, which was placed freely 

 at Mr. Roscoe's disposal, proved of inestimable value. 



The Bunyoro tribe, or rather nation, consists of 

 two distinct races, the Bahuma and the Bairu — the 

 latter a subject people of agricultural peasants belong- 

 ing to Bantu stock and descended from the original 

 inhabitants of the country ; the former a purely pas- 

 toral people akin to the Gallas, who form a ruling 

 aristocracy, descended from a people which invaded 

 and conquered the country from the north. Inter- 

 marriage between the two races is rare, though not 

 absolutely forbidden. The greater part of the life of 

 the king is, or rather used to be, devoted to cere- 

 monial observances connected with his cattle in order 

 to increase the progeny of man and beast and the 

 supply of food. So much was this the case that the 

 whole of his day was mapped out for him, and he 

 rarely, if ever, quitted his kraal. One peculiar 

 feature of the ritual was a daily meal at which he 

 partook of sacred beef. The royal cook knelt before 

 the king and placed four pieces of meat in the king's 

 mouth with a special fork, taking care not to let the 

 fork touch the royal teeth under penalty of death. 



From Masindi the expedition proceeded to Mount 

 Elgon, where it made some further inquiries among 

 the cannibal Bagesu, whom Mr. Roscoe had alreadv 

 visited and described. It had been intended originally 

 to pass northward into Karamojo in order to inves- 

 tigate the Turkana, an interesting people, remark- 

 able for their great stature, of whom very little in 

 detail is known. Unfortunately, military operations 

 which were being carried on in that region made 

 that impossible. The expedition therefore turned to 

 Busoga, and after a short stay there returned to 

 Bunyoro, whence it started on its homeward tourney 

 down the Nile. E. N. F. 



The Indian School of Mining and Geology. 



THE recent decision of the Government of India 

 to establish a School of Mining and Geology at 

 Dhanbaid follows the recommendations of Sir Duncan 

 McPherson's Committee of 1913-14 on mining educa- 

 tion, of the expert Committee which examined the system 

 of mining education in England in 1914-15, and of i 

 the Indian Industrial Commission of 1916-18. The 

 site of the proposed school has caused some difference ; 

 of opinion in the past. Thus the Calcutta University ' 

 Commission enumerated the many advantages which 

 Calcutta was believed to possess, but in finally j 

 deciding on Dhanbaid the Government of India has I 

 followed the recommendations of the three Com- 

 ■ mittees, and come to a conclusion with which those 

 who know local conditions best will cordially agree. 

 Dhanbaid enjoys an excellent situation, and return 

 visits to the coal-mines will occuoy onlv a few hours ; 

 from Calcutta they would take at least thirty-six 

 hours. 

 The provision at present made for mining education 



NO. 2666, VOL. 106] 



in India comprises (i) courses at the Sibpur Engineer- 

 ing College, near Calcutta, and (2) evening classes 

 on the coalfield. The existing provision for higher 

 training in geology is even less satisfactory. The pro- 

 posal is that the new school will be an institution of 

 collegiate type, in which the highest form of teaching 

 in the art of mining and its accessory sciences is to 

 be undertaken, so that in time it will rank with 

 similar institutions in this country, and give equal 

 opportunities for the study of geology and mining in 

 all their branches. Thus natives of India will even- 

 tuallv be able to obtain in their own country that 

 specialised training which to-day is an essential 

 qualification for the more responsible posts in the 

 mining and geological professions. 



With the school on the coalfield both students and 

 staff will be in close contact with a well-developed 

 mining industry, and the great desirability of having 

 intimate relationshio between the industry and mining 

 education will be realised. Further, the teachers of 



