Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/481

 upper and lower course of the Ogoway, appear to be the only people above the Ba-Kale territory who are allied to them in speech. All the rest, except the Fans, speak dialects akin to those of the Mpongwe and Benga ethnical groups. The Ivili of the Lower Ogoway, kinsmen of the Ba-Vili of the Upper Ngunie basin, are a mild, industrious people, who came originally from the south, and are now increasing rapidly at the expense of their neighbours. They appear to be distinct from the Mpongwes, whose language, however, they have adopted, as

have also the Ajumas of Lake Azingo. The Ba-Ngwes, who have a turn for trade, like their Ba-Kale relatives, but who are less degraded by contact with the whites, appear to be also more sedentary and conservative of the old tribal usages. The women, who are of herculean strength, are distinguished by a peculiar system of tattooing, executed in relief on the breast, and like their Okanda neighbours, all the Ba-Ngwes are passionately fond of salt, swallowing it by handfuls, as greedy white children do sugar.