Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-09-29
From the Boston Traveller.
A Cannibal Feast .


A late Efarseilles (FrenchA newspaper
contaias minute account Of an extraordi-
nary instance Of idolatry and cannibalisn,
which occurred at negro settlement on the
coast of Africa. The facts are stated on
authority Of credtable persons who witssss-
ed the revolving scene. whcE are described,
The substance Of the story is, that the
chief or king If negro village of Grand
Bassa, situated on the right bank Of the
river Of that name village which had
placed itself under the protection Of the
French, and where French fort was estab-
lished-determined to celebrate the creation.
Of new centre of population recently es-
tablished in his neig ghborhood. lie arrang.
ed a programme for f asst, accordingly;
and in order to concitiate the idol god which
he and his tribe worshipped he resolved to
imnlola'e human victim, who, after the
sacrifice, should serve to crafty the fero-
cious appetites Of his cannibal people. To
accomplish his purpose, the King, whess
name is Peter, purchased in one OF the inte-
rior villages black captive, who was car
ried to Grand Bassa, tied hands and feet,
and confined 10 the house Of ons of the war
chiefs. .....
By some means, not probably without
assistance, the poor captive escaped from
his confinement, and took refuge ia the
French fort, where be was concealed in The
house occupied by some Of the natives in the
service Of the post Peter, however, discoy-
e.ed the retreat Of the fugitive, and imme
diately ente ed into negotiations With ma.
tive c-rporal whom he we'll knew,and whom
he succeeded in b, ibing to deliver the victim
into bis lambs
At an hour agreed upon, a number of
armed men presented themselves at the
house where he fugitive was concealed.
having the unworthy corporal at their head
Contrary, however, in expectations, and
notwithstanding the menances of the cor
poral, the occupants Of the house obstinately
refused to deliver up the poor slave He
how ever fearing that his protectors might
be induced at last to submit him to bis fate,
or be overcome by the C, rporaPs men, took
the opportunity TO leave the house, and
sought another asylum among some black
Senesals, with whom he veltured to trust
himself. They proved faithless, however,
and beuEd him, as he was bound when
first brought into the village, and deliverd d
him once more into the hands of his old en-
emies. This was all done without the
knowledge of the French authorities at the
fort.
Peter having accomplished his object,
and again become master of the slave whom
be had doomed as a sacrifice to his idol, Jas
sembed his principal chiefs upon the great
square of the village, du' y bedecked and ac-
coutred for the bar barous scenes they were
to enact. Tie wretchetl slave was tied to
an idol tree, while the chiefs surrounded
him with frantic dances and hideous yells,
accompanied by the harsh sounds Of an
enormous gong. The scene of cannibalism
followed, amid the ferocious shouts Of saw.
age people. Each warrior, in turn, inflicted
ghastly wound upon unfortunate prison.
er, thus numbering him. as it were, by inch
es and when his cries Of agony had length
ceased, his head was severed from his body
and platned upon pole, erected in the GEN.
tire of the square, amid ferocious hnrrrhs Of
the cannibal multitude.
A frighttul feast succeeded the sasrifce
The body was cut up into small pieces and
boiled in a great kettle, and each OF the as
sistants partook, with ferocious avidity, Of
the abominable repast. The corporal,
through whose baseness the poor slave had
been restored to, after having once escaped
from the cannibal:, was one of the most
greedy guests at the feast The remainder
OF the day was spent in dancing around the
decollated head
The commander of the French fort, it is
said, had ordered an inquiry into the con
duct Of the treacherous corporal. He had
also demanded OF the negro king an expia-
nation of his conduct. and being refused,
threatened to direct the batteries Of the fort
against the village. Peter was at last
frightened into payment Of fine of twenty
ounces of gold, and agreement TO supply the
Sort with certain quantity Of beef and
mutton; and this seems to have effeetualiy
quieted the benevolent horror Of the French
man at the inhuman outrage which had
been committed under his eyes, and in some
sort in defiance Of his authority.
A HoT SPRtNG.-One Of the members Of
the Mexican Boundary Commission, writ.
ing from Santa Rita, New Mexico, to the
Providence Journal thus describes spring
discovered on the I'd Of May:
Having heard of n remarkable 'hot
spring few miles from our road, all tho,
were mounted determined to visit it, and
on leaving the camp struck off into the
plain in straight direction for it. A
ride Of about five miles brought US up to
the spot, which was indicated by hill
about six hundred feet in circumference at
its base and about thirty or forty feet high,
which was formed entirely by deposites
made by the waters Of the spring. On
the summit Of this hill was basin twenty
feet in diameter, containing the hot water,
the surface Of which was six or eight feet
below the top Of the basin. The tempera-
r. Al - H.