50 
MISSIONARY LIFE 
fined to the use of tlie hands alone. When an 
African talks he talks all over — with head, eyes, 
face, arms, and legs. They use their feet and legs 
as freely, when necessary, as any other member 
of the body. I have seen them stoop forward 
with the face half way to the ground, then again 
bend hack as far as they could, and throw their 
bodies from side to side, to assist in the utterance 
of their thoughts. 
They are also assisted in this by the use of nu- 
merous EMBLEMS, PARABLES, SYMBOLS, IMAGES, ETC. 
These assist them much in showing the relation 
of one thing to another, and the estimate they put 
upon things and persons. 
For instance, if a head-man wishes to make an 
expression of good-will and friendship to another 
head-man, he simply sends him a piece of white 
cloth. If a bride wishes to let everybody know 
that she is married, she ties a white string around 
her forehead. If a man wishes to farm- a piece of 
land which is yet in timber, he puts on its bound- 
aries sticks with leaves tied to their tops. If a 
head-man wishes to announce that persons will be 
punished for throwing water where he does not 
wish it in his town, he puts up a stake in the 
place with a bunch of switches tied to its top. 
While I was at Good Hope Station, Mr. Brooks 
received from a head-man, whom he had once vis- 
