Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-06-29
"Aflicang at Home. "

Under this caption, a writer in the last issue of
the Southern Quarterly Review. which, from the
initials appended, we learn is written by one of
its ablest contributors, d. j. McCod, esq. gives
us some idea of negro life at home. In this
ticle he takes up La Ilmpo's collection of old
voyages, published in Paris in 1850, and book
entitled "Ashantee," published in London, in
164l, by John Beacham, of the London Wesleyan
Mission which is probably the latest authentic
work that treats of the manners and customs of
the degraded race referred to- Savage and bar
barous as were these hordes four hundred years
before Beacham visited Africa, his observations
and experiences there clearly show that but very
little progress or amelioiation has come to the
besotted race. The reviewer says;
Scarcely lms one of their barbarous and
bloody customs been abandoned, from the earliest
period of which anything is known of them
They still pave their court yards, palaces, and
even the streets market places of their villages
or towns, with the skulls of th, sc butchered in
wars, at frasts, funerals, or sacrifices 10 BoS-
sum. Still their wives and slaves are buried n r.
live with the deceased husband or master When
Adahanzen died. two hundred and eighty of his
wives butchered before the arrival of his
successor, which put stop to it only 10 increase
the flow of blood and the number of deaths in
other WAYS. The remaining living wives were
buried alive, amidst dancing, singing AMI bewail-
ing. the noise of horns, drums, muskets, Wells,
groans and screechings the women, marching
by headless trunks, bedaubed themselves with
earth and blood. Their victims were marched
along with large knives passed through their
cheeks. The executioners struggle for the bloody
Office, while the victims look on and endure with
apathy. They were too familiar with the horrid
sacrifice to show terror, or to imagine that all
was not as it should be. Their hands were first
chopped off, and their heads sawed off, to pro-
long the amusement. Even some who assisted
to fill the grave were hustled in alive, in order to
add to the sport or solemnity of the scene. Up
on the death of kings brother, four thousand
victims were thus sacrificed. These ceremonies
are often repeated, and hundreds slaughtered al
every rehearsal. Upon the death of King OF
Ashantee, a general massacre takes place, in
which there can be no computation of the victims
AT their Yam Customs" Mr.. Bowditch wit.
messed spectaces of the most appalling kind
Every caboceer or noble sacrificed slave as he
entered az the gate. Heads and skulls formed
the ornaments of their professions. Hundreds
were slain; and the streaming and steaming blood
of the victims mingedin vast brass pam
with various vegetables and animal matter, fresl
as well as putrd to compose powerful Fetiche
At these customs the same scenes of butehery
and slaughter occur. The kings executioner,
traverse the city. killing all they meet. Thu
next day desolation reigns the hand. Thu
king during the bloody saturnalia looked on en-
gerly and dancedin his chair with delight.
The King of Dahomey paves the approache
to his residence and ornaments the battlement
ofhs palace with the skulls of his victims; an
the great Fetiche Tree, at Badagry, has its wide
spread limbs laden with human carcasses an
limbs There the want of chastity is no dis
grace, and the priests are employed as pimps.-
Murder, adultery and thievery. says Bosnian
are here no sins"