THE LAND OF THE FREE IN AFRICA 



A'lV) 



These natives of Liberia may be 

 roughly divided into the three 

 principal races — the Mandingos, 

 the Krus, and the Kpwesis. 



the vai are; high type natives 



The foremost tribe of the 

 Mandingo race is the Vai, in- 

 habiting the eastern part of Li- 

 beria. The Vai are lighter in color 

 than the other natives, are proud, 

 aggressive, and very industrious ; 

 their industries, as a matter of 

 fact, render them practically in- 

 dependent of their neighbors. 

 Their religion is Mohammedan, 

 brought down indirectly from the 

 Arabs in the north; their boys 

 are taught to read Arabic and the 

 Koran. 



Vai villages are models of 

 cleanliness, the little streets of 

 beaten earth being swept daily ; 

 and their homes are so pretentious 

 for native Africans that the word 

 "hut" is scarcely applicable to 

 them. Bamboo frames about 

 seven feet high are first erected 

 and then plastered with clay-like 

 mud to a thickness of about 

 twelve inches, the outer coat be- 

 ing flung onto the building by 

 hand, so that it resembles stucco. 



The pointed circular roof is of 

 neatly thatched grass and palm 

 fiber. There is one door in the 

 front and, often, several windows- 

 usual feature in native architecture. 



The Vai weave a very heavy cotton 

 cloth, beautifully colored by native dyes, 

 usually in stripes and geometrical designs. 

 From this cloth they make long, loose 

 robes of dark blue, which constitute the 

 principal article of attire of the Vai men 

 and correspond to the loose white robes 

 worn by their Arab brothers farther 

 north. 



THE KRUS ARE THE CHIEF TRAVELERS OF 

 AFRICA 



From the cloth they also make attract- 

 ively colored and comfortable hammocks 

 in which they sleep, whereas most other 

 natives sleep on reed mats spread upon 

 the ground. 



The Vai is intellectually clever to a 



Photograph by T. J. Alldridge 



AN OIL PALM CONE 



This cone of fresh fruit, cut from under the fronds at 

 the crown of the oil palm, weighs 56 pounds and con- 

 tains 1,445 serviceable oil palm nuts. The core of the 

 cone is used by the natives in preparing a powerful black 

 soap. 



-an un- 



marked degree, and has one of the few 

 written languages in native Africa, the 

 syllabary of which, slightly resembling 

 Arabic in appearance, is so complete as to 

 make it an interesting study for the 

 visitor. 



The Krus inhabit the coastal regions 

 from Monrovia as far east as Cape 

 Palmias. They are decidedly different 

 from the Vai peoples, being darker in 

 color and not so tall in stature. They are 

 willing workers and constitute a valuable 

 asset to Liberia at the present time, when 

 so much labor is needed for development 

 of all kinds. 



For ages the Kru has been the laborer 

 of the coast, but his chief occupation has 

 been that of sailor and fisherman. He is 

 the most traveled of all the Africans; 

 every steamer plying along the West 



