Show I Iron as a Precious HIctn1 Iron and popper were the only metals S kiowa to tho natives before the arrival of the Europeans and they were both oillel in the Ilerero language by the I same iiiiaic The civilized Hcreroa now use foreign words for copper silver and gold while lead has received its lame from the bullets into which it is cast The pastoral tribes of the Hercros and Ovambundierus have but few smiths of I i their own but are terved by itinerant smiths from other tribes who wander I I around working in small companies I I among the chiefs till they have earned I enough cattle to justify them in returning I return-ing to their homes Sometimes they I political refugees who have excited I I the anger or jealousy of their chiefs in I Ovamboland and are compelled to turn I f their backs upon their home till aI change of dynasty takes place These I Ovambo smiths brought iron from their native country where the art of extracting I extract-ing that metal and copper from the ores is understood and rich ores are found Iron could formerly be got in Ovambo I laud only at the cost of great labor and the smith then had 1 to carry his stone on his back some fifteen or twenty days journey The metal thercforc commanded Com-manded a very high price As late as I about 110 a simple bracelet of iron I I wire was an adequate guests present I S and a large fat wether could easily be i bought with a span of the old hoopiron with I which trunks were bound The 1 f I i natives were greatly astonished at seeing i the costly metal wasted by the Europe ans in bootnails Iron had titus the i value of a precious metal and rusting land changing but little in the dry I climate was worn in ornaments by the j Hercros while other tribes preferred copper and brass The natives smiths now use European iron and seek out good steel such as is found in files and bayonets But iron forged in the old i fashioned way into ornaments and I weapons has still considerable value From Dnmculic Arts in Pffjwiratonrf by C G Buttner In PopularScitar 3tfonthfy I foi Xwcmbcr |