The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-05-25

Kings brother. He chose two Of the
prisoners, announced to them that they
had been selected to be dispatched by
his brother, but in order to be admitted
to such an honor it was necessary to
purify their crime.stained bodies, and
that they must pass the night in the
great fetish temple, prostrated before the
idols. On the next day. the prisoners
were led to the market place, their hands
bound behind their backs. The King
presided at the ceremony, seated on
large ivory throne, surrounded by his
court, the great dignitares of the king
dom, and the ministry.
On the centre of the place was large
vessel, intended to receive the blood of
the victims.' When the hour had come,
the King advanced, took q very thin
steel sabre, and depressed the heads of
the two prisoners he was about to i'm
molate. These poor wreLclles on the
order given to them, were placed at the
edge of the vessel which was about to
catch their blood. 1T the conclusion of
the first execution the crowd uttered en-
thusiastic shouts of applause for full FIVE
minutes, after which the King resumed
his seat on the throne. The other ten
prisoners were executed by the great
fetish man, or high priest, who picked
each victims head and showed it to the
people, whilst they uttered ferocious
yells.
When all was over, the populace fell
upon the bodies Of the unfortunate vic.
TINS, which they cut into pieces and then
drank theis blood. The King retired in
great pomp, and caused the twelve
heads to DC fixed OH the walls Of 0f his
palace. These monstrous scenes occur
three or four times year, and this is
the nineteenth century! Unfortunately
human sacrifices are not confined to the
kingdom Of Dahomcy. They take place
also very frequently in the kingdoms of
Abbeokuta, Ashantee and Benin, also
situated in Africa, and in the same re.
gion as Dahomey.
THE PLAGUE IN RUSSIA. The plague
continues at st. Petersburg. The total
number of cases thus far is ten thou.
sand, and the. .1eathsitwo thousand. !, The
cases average one hundreda day. Forty
physicians arc dead. The Ismail officers
barracks have heen converted into a
hospital. Precautionary measures are
being taken at Moscow, where the food
and lodgings Of the laboring classes are
being inspected by tho police. The
disease is not cholera but the plague, and
may be known by dilated pupils OF the
eye, earbuncles, and pestilential bubo.
The British Government having tele
graphel to its officers in Russia for m,
formation relative to the epidemic ii, that
country, the Ambassador at Petersburg,
in despatch, dated the 5th inst, says,
The fever is contagious, and in Eng
land is called the relapsing or famine
fever, also the remittent or bilious typhoid
ever. Itwas Unknown in Russia until
eight months ago.
Lord Napier returned from Berlin on
the 5th, and reports that an unknown
disorder had appeared along she Valley
of the Vistula, out the Prussian Gov.
ernment were not aware that it came
from ST. Petersburg. 4 81.
The London Times suggests that
competent medical officers be sent from
England to study the disease. N r55..,
A Paris letter says that several medi.
cal students, who went from France to
investigate the epidemic, had fallen vic.
Tins oit. 81 s
!, ToMAToEs.-IThe Worhing Farmer
says of the tomato plant thaS it bears
eighty percent. Of its fruit within eigh.
teen inches of the ground, while more
than half Of the plant is above thatspart
When the branches are cut they do not
bleed, !, and they may therefore be shorten.
ed in Immediately above the large or
early setting fruit. The removal Of the
small fruits, on the ends of the branches
is no loss, for the lower fruit will be the
consequence, besides obtaining larger
potion, fveto fifteen days earlier. The
trimming should be done SO as 10 leave