Excerpt from The Tailed Head-Hunters of Nigeria: An Account of an Official"s Seven Years" Experiences in the Northern Nigerian Pagan Belt, and a Description of the Manners, Habits, and Customs of the Native Tribes
One of my aims in writing this book has been to show how much the uncivilised natives of Northern Nigeria resemble some other aboriginal races, possibly even our own remote ancestors, and, incidentally, to prove that they are by no means as black in many ways as they are painted. Having served in different parts of West Africa for the greater part of ten years, first as a Military then as a Police Officer, and subsequently in a Political and & Judicial capacity, I have possibly a wider view of West African things in general than many writers on the country. The native is certainly not the equal of the European, but he is still worthy of consideration.
If in discussing African life and characteristics I have occasionally introduced examples drawn from other lands, it has not been done with any intention of forcing them into an artificial resemblance, but solely for the sake of comparison, for a custom, which at first may seem strange to the average reader, becomes more easily intelligible through the light thus thrown upon it from other sources. I hope, therefore, that the general observations on customs and ideas will be useful to those commencing the "study of man," and that the notes on the head-hunting tribes, being quite new, will interest even those who are more advanced. A description of certain subjects, with which it has been impossible to deal here, will be found in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute to be published shortly.
Life in West Africa is a medley of sensations. There are many intensely exciting moments, there are days when one is absolutely in the depths of despair, but even at these times something may happen, with the light-hearted natives about one, which will divert one"s thoughts into a totally different channel.
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