The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-08-02
Eabitations of Cruelty,

: BILE In the extreme, notwithstanding the
, numerous triumphs of the Gospel there
A few incidents given in Wesleyan Mis-
sionary Notices by an eyewitness, Illus
trato the actual condition of the island
ers.
Strangling Of widows has engaged our
frequent attention, and Gale d forth our
utmost energies. Six or eight women
have been directly saved from this inhu-
man practice by our interposition, and
several others indirectly and principally
by the influence Of what we have done.-
Some of these have subsequently, Iottted
/ These scenes require no ordinary promp-
titude and sacrifice, We have to adopt
the Feejee national custom of presenting
property when requesting favor; and
hitherto each life has involved the ex-
pense of about 81.
But sometimes our interference is pre-
vented, and sometimes it is spurned and
Intellectual. A few months ago man
died in a heather town within a mile of
ours. Mr.. Malvern and l at once has
tened to the abode of death; but the peo-
pie fearing our arrival, and having heard
of our success in other quarters, had al
ready strangled the widow. We entered
the house; there were the husband and
wife both sleeping in death. We exam
ined the woman's body, but the last spark
of life was extinguished. All and there
stood the son Of those now dead, who,
with fendish expression, lifted up his
hands, and told US that by those hands
his mother died
'Ah ? was our language, this is seen
in heaven; this will not be forgotten in
heaven; its punishment will follow
! 4 few weeks afterwards [ stood by an
open grave in that town. had gone in
pursuit of the widow of young man
brought home a corpse from war. Her
friends had consigned her to our care, and
she had escaped from US. [ stood by the
open grave that | might witness the GER
emony of heather burial; the corpse
was brought out shrouded in mats; bull
let had pierced the brain. I looked up
on the dead, recognized the features; it
was the matricide
'Ahn exclaimed, as the corpse was
laid in its last resting-place, did we not
speak the truth when we said, 'hs sin
was seen in heaven; it was written in
heaven; its punishment would follow p
Seven women have, spite'of our efforts,
been strangled; and whenever there is
son be is chosen to be the principal agent
in the murder of his mother. Within my
own knowledge, a father has, with his own
hands sufocated (by choking or gogging)
his own daughter who was sick. One
day, standing by the corpse Of a warrior,
painted and blackened as if for war, the club
lying by his side, [ turned round to his
brother and inquired the cause of his
death. The reply from that brother was,
He was very i'll and [ sufoeated him
Infanticide is written on another page
Of Feejeean life. wish to confne my
illustrations as much as possible to cases
that bear directly upon the point, and
that have passed under the immediate no.
tice of myself or other missionaries, or
credible informants. Nothing do state
on mere rumor. A woman brought me
4 child who, from want Of proper treat
ment was nearly dead. undertook to pre-
scribe for it, if the mother would reside for
for time in the house Of one of my servants
so that might see that it met with proper
attention. My treatment was successful; the
disease was subdued, the child could a
gain run about, talk and eat; in a day or
two the mother could have returned to her
friends, but maternal patience was ex-
haustcd, and one night she suffocated it.
4 man was informed that his wife had
given birth to daughter. Hearing of
its sex, he at once directed it to be
strangled. Again; female child was
spared for several months; its death was
then resolved upon by the parents. They
dug deep hole in the centre Of the earth
en- floor of their house-the father flung
into the grave his helpless and innocent
babe. He then cast some heavy stones
with violence upon it, and filled up the
grave with earth These inhuman pa
rents still occupy that house. They daily
tread over the dccaying remains of their
murdered child. Such is Feejee in the
present day,