Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-20
THE cASSIBALs OF suMAraA.


eAs ros1ons q the world has passed Ls half century
Aad Ass family Of grown-up chldres uexidng in Ger
ms1y sSs travels without company and Is more sue
sssst ASs adventurous than hundreds Of travellers o.
ths A"nsr ssn The last place which she has been ex
perns - me island Of sumatra From the London Atbe
nsam We qsote part Of her letter which Il Il difficult 10
credit In al ia statements:
hf.t ysat V Padang. the principal settlement Of
the patea IN ssmatra The Governor, Mr. Van gveten
received ms serr politely; but stayed only few days
AMI then &c oat GA horseback for the interior Nv srt
hat sas =, fort Dc Mock. ATTY paal-sixty miles-rom
a, ,o,s up my residence at the house Of
s4'shAa.e elonei Van der Hart, who assisted me in
~ my travelling route wrote down the differen.
Aong ne road, and gave letters OF introduce
pa'eh fanctioaaries further down in the
10y eNsrs me frontier Of the independent Batack.
~ ne ne intermediates tract we'll having Commando
hfAPsauon against those wild tribes about tcn yaar
s-'ssasy. sheh nc penetrated as far as silindonr
$50. 80 iaf'hsf and 70 VISIT IL possible, the
Ihs last place where found Europeans was pad.nr
s'iateAss, t-e hundred paai from Fort de Kocs and
say obstacle which had overcome ON INV ionrna
thsher wa horses Shy - little broken ami - a.l
nae th-t he people were obliged TO lift foot or nInc
We nose q my s,esd before he would allow me 70 mount
gsh Irsnhs. ~, say however, they went along fast
The N4. iaA of Tigers rhnoceroses and ELEPHANTS
Lat az NJ, ss them much, as long as tie sun wa
above the horizon ana sred along for hours together
'hFsugh dense Forests and covered with aiang
high was then quite alone, rs my groom i.--aained
long behind
Having taken leave Of the last Europeans in this pal,
q samasra, csasiaasd riding for twenty ran more
horses became useless AMI compelled 10 proceed
foot During the first three days journey was exceed
insy tclsoae Forests, which would be quite impene
trabe had not rhnoceoses made tracks across
them In al directions covered the country far as the
eye ooull reach and where the ground free from
trees the alaag aang high that the tops collapsed
A
times climbed steep, rocky hills, and then sud-
denly down again into large sloughs and swawps,
where left my shoes behind nae, and on crawling GU
found beside mlre and dirt my legs covered win lit
leeches, with which all these pools crowded Ie
The wounds inflicted by the cutting alang alang
exceedingly painfal; and In the woods raorns were
plentiful that numbers would stick fast I'M nv we're 50
feet which LEFT there III resting time, when legs and
natared Btiack would draw them witt some good
knife, which any thing but ,li-pc' Ie a.u OF
.sese people saved my lAe wh's wa crossing deer
passed without rain and had no Al e on' 70 aay
with. One night We passed IL 10 - s.o,hes y enange
aai there was In fear Of ssss "a nsr iS
obliged to lie down With -, more tnan once ! was
some dried rice part bo dia water rtSau, sgy a55,ian
OF butter "a'ei' N'''Vas any aiuison
a., -. - ssp,. Of the third day we reached the
RI r.o,,s hssa, u tie Batacks Twas sorry to find
snsd ~, piat 20 receive but IL fortunately hap
F. - 10 IL Hall Bonar, who hal once been the
-. ID. ammers az Padang Sidimpuang, and for
ma saanerha letter, was then a visit at the ra and
A.. 80 delivered my creaental into his hand than
= A part warmly, and even promised TO accompany
~ - Tau, which about seventy paal distant
smsnb lgers now accommodated me with sespo-a
sarJ at opened on all sides--ani presented with
W. and some rice.
D the following day we reached the uta Of the Hall
s mar buffalo calf killed do honor TO the stran-
gr, and obliged 10 be present al the
which took place with the accompaniment Of music and
dancing The flowing blood having been carefully col
eced they cut the carcass into many pieces and pre-
sen,sa me with as liver placed on ae as the most
strange ceremony very little nv tskte but we'll In
tended after ALL since II calculated 10 proptate one
o. their evil spirits Thess are the only superior beings
whom they worship, because they fear them; while the
good ones remain rnnotced because not being bent on
doing mischief there IL occasion conciliate them
IN TINS nstaree the evil spirits were made proptous with
Two young opened the dances aud after they had
amused the public for awhile with their antics the elder
one eired buffalo horn filed with water, and without
ceasng 10 take In the dance raised Il several times
above his head, with men il he were the
heavenly powers to bless the contents. Suddenly he
poured portion or the water against me- another
against the musicians, and the against the people
lie then did the with quantity Of rice and some
small rice cakes Of which be presented one plate
shortly afterwards they exhibited their s In sort Of
dance with which they generally celebrate public execu-
tons; but on this occasion IL performed in my honor
sarong," representing man, having been tied TO
measure Of their music.
After awhile OF the perfcrmers leapng from the
rng pierced the figure Of the ettered man with hs pa
ran or eutass and was followed by second and third
TIL the whole set had plunged their swords IN the body Of
the supposed victim lie who deals the first blow enjoys
some privileges IN eating the dead body. The victim
being considered TO be dead they made the of
cutting of his head then they placed the head OF the
buffalo calf ON the top Of the figure and continued their
wid gyrauons round the body. From time time per-
former leaving the ring seized the head and sucked the
blood which dropped from the severed neck while others
throwing themselves q mat which the head had
been lying greediy licked the gore with which Il was
covered There was nothing wild passionate In their
looks but they appeared 20 be In excellent humor as II
they amused themselves vastly. Whenever real erimi.
nal or prisoner Is put TO death in this manner the Raja
most delicious parts next TO which the cheeks the palm
OF the hand, and the liver most esteemed.
The day after this festival started for new scenes
since 1880, when the Bstscks killed and devoured two
missionaries the appearance OF Europeans among these
people had become phenomenon. Hence the news
Of my visit had spread through the country like wild are
On approaching uta found the whole male population
armed with spears, swords, and parangs assembled
the entrance and myself soon surrounded nv crowd
looking savage and horrible beyond description The
men were tall and strong, but frghtfuy ury with ire
mendous mouths and the upper jaws not only much pro-
ecng but In many furnished with teeth pro,rud
ing like tusks.
Some had their hair long. others short when n would
stand on the heads like brstes aud they had covered
their heads either with dirty cotton cloth or with neat
straw caps resembling square baskets, many however
eooredrag straw rband tied round them
iher ears were all perforated, the hole being large
enough 70 admit one or two cigars which they kept
as In case. They decently dressed. saronr
covering the lower part Of the body and the legs a. far
down as the calves and another the upper part
But their cries horrible and they made tie snost