The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-03-21
HUMAN SACRIFICES w pAuoMEY


The Moniteur publishes letter from Whydah.
which supplies details respecting the festival o.
human sacrifices recently held at Abomoy, the
capital of Dahomey, before the King and in pre-
sence of all his court and great dgnitaries of Ststs
The letter says:
The King having announced to the people that,
In q short time, to honor the names of Agougoro,
his ancestor, and King Gezo his father forty pri-
soners belonging to the rebel tribe Of the Akankas
would be inundated on the market place at Abo-
mey, with the usual ceremony; three days after
wards he decided that this barbarnus deed should
be accomplished one hour before sunrise. Many
Europeans who were in the towD had an audience
of the Monarch, and implored hn to give up the
horrible sacrifice. The King declared that he
could not suppress the national festival, but that
ia consideration for the foreigners he consented 10
reduce the number to twelve On the eve of the
sacrifice he went to great shed, under which the
forty prisoners were secured to posts. He gave
order that twenty eight should be released and
that they should be taken back TO their prison. aud
then addressed himself to the twelve others in or
der to announce to them that, next morning On
expiation of the crimes committed by the chief of
their tribe, and to satisfy the shade of his father
and his ancestor, they would be decapitaed before
the assembled people The unfortunate men
heard the royal speech with the utmost udfer.
ence.
Ibe King added that two OF them would be ex-
ecuted with his own hand and then retired. A
short time afterwards arrived Prince Il B)cusau the
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 pu-
rfy their crime stained bodies and that they must
pass the night in the great fetish temple, prostra
ted before the idols. On the next day the prison
ers were led to the market place. their hands bound
behind their backs. The King presideP at tho
ceremony seated on q large ivory throne, surroun-
ded by his court, the great dignitaries Of the king
dom, and the ministry.
On the centre of the place a large silver vcs-
sci, intended to receive the blood of the victims
When the hour had come, the King advanced,
took very thin steel sabre, and depressed the
heads of the two prisoners he was about to immediate
These poor wretches, on the order given to them,
we're placed at the edgo Of the vessel which was
about to catch their blood AT the conclusion of
the first execution the crowd uttered enthusiastic
shouts ofappause for full five minutes, after which
the King resumed his seat on tie throne The
other ten prisoners executed by the great et-
ish man, or high priest, who picked up each VIC
Tins head and showed it to the people, whilst they
uttered ferocous yells.
When all was over, the populace fell upon tho
bodies OF the unfortunate victims which they cut
into pieces and then drank their blood The King
retired in great pomp, and caIised the twelve
heads to be fixed on the walls OF his palace
These monstrous scenes occur three or for, luas
year, and this is the nineteenth century, IN.
fortunately human sacrifices are not cor'ucd 10
the kingdom of Dahomey. They take place also
very frequently in the Kingdoms of Abbeokufl
Ashantee and Benin, also situated in Africa, and
in tho same region as Dahomey.